


DISCOVERY

by GenesisKiba



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-04-26 18:39:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 51,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5015806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenesisKiba/pseuds/GenesisKiba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One fated night Kaiba Seto comes upon the truth behind the life of one Jounouchi Katsuya. Will things between them change? What effects will this have on these 2 duelists?  Can our young blonde friend make it out of this still the same person he once was? SXJ Yaoi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. D is for Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I DON'T own Yu-Gi-Oh!
> 
> If anyone notices anything that needs fixing or changing drop me a PM
> 
> Apologies for any OOCness
> 
> Kaiba X Jounichi (Seto X Joey) Yoai do not like do not read.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a late night walk Kaiba Seto happens to discover he truth behind the life of one Jounouchi Katsuya.

The sound of a steady rhythm beeping could be heard coming from a heart monitor in a small private hospital room. The smell of sterilization and antiseptic lingers heavily in the halls and room. Outside the hospital room Nurses and Doctors come and go quickly down the Hospital's hall. Inside the room 2 young teenage figures could be seen. One lying motionless in a hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of machinery. The other teen sitting in a chair, between the bed and window. A sadden expression on his handsome features. A sigh escapes the pale mans lips as he brushes a strand of brown hair from his eyes. He gently grabs the young blonde man's hand, which is lying in the bed. Pain can be seen etched across his features as he sleeps.

Softly rubbing his thumb over the top of the others hand he speaks barely above a whisper.

"I never did hate you."

Deep in the young brunette's heart he knew how he truly felt for the other. It wasn't hate that he felt. It was something much more. He was just too afraid to accept it. After all that he had gone through in his life, all that he was trained to believe it wasn't hard to see why he denied it so. For him he was taught that emotions where a sign of weakness. The only time he did let them escape was around his brother. Anger; was the only emotion he could freely let loose. Sometimes in the business world you needed it.

There was a gently knock at the door startling the brunette from his musings. Looking up with his azure eyes he spots the doctor. A short plump man walks in and goes over to the two in the room. Reaching out his hand to the awake individual he speaks formally.

"Mr. Kaiba, I am Dr. Deija. I am assigned to Mr. Jounouchi." Kaiba takes the man's hand and shakes it gently.

"Wish I could say I was pleased to meet you but given the current circumstances…" Dr. Deija shakes his head and smiles weakly.

"I fully understand. I have come to inform you of the young man's prognoses. I cannot say for certainly when he will arise from his state of unconsciousness. It could happen in a little as a few hours or as long as a few days. I will say that if it wasn't for you I do not believe that the young man would have come out of this alive. I am surprised that he has made it as long as he already has with is current and past inflections."

Blinking lightly Kaiba looks to the older man questioningly. "What do you mean by current and past inflections?"

"It is to my understanding and findings that Mr. Jounouchi has been going through some domestic abuse for a long time. It is the only logically conclusion that I can arrive at. Especially after the story, which I was informed of from your said person."

Kaiba sighs and sits back in his hair rubbing his temples in small circular motions as if warding off an impending headache. Another light knock at the door alerts both Kaiba and Dr. Deija. A small petite woman, with long flowing brown hair, walks in and smiles to the doctor and bows to Mr. Kaiba.

"I have come to take Mr. Jounouchi's vitals and change his bandages." She says in a sweet tone.

Taking that as a cue to leave and possible get a cup of much needed coffee, Kaiba gets up from his chair. He grabs his briefcase containing his laptop and KaibaCorp paperwork. Bowing to the doctor and nurse he sadly leaves the room heading for the nearest coffee shop. It was going to be a long day for the young billionaire. Things would have been so different if he didn't take that walk and make that discovery the night before. How different could things have played out? Would the 'mutt' still be around the next if he hadn't? Or would things be far worse than what they were now? For all he knew he could be getting ready to attend a fun… no he wasn't going to think of that possibility.

* * *

 

_**~FLASHBACK ~Yesterday night~** _

* * *

 

A small raven haired pre-teen, about the age of 13, looks up from his comfy place on the couch. The TV glaring in the darken room. He places his PlayStation 4 controller on the seat next to him and looks pointedly at older male in the room. Raise an eyebrow he questions the tall brunette.

"Big Brother, where are you heading off to this time of night?" He looks back towards the TV to see that clock glaring red digits at him. "It's 10 o'clock. You're usually in your office working on some KaibaCorp project."

The older of the two smiles, at his younger sibling. He walks over to him ruffling his raven locks. "It's none of your business, but if you are so inclined on knowing I needed a breather. I'm going out for some fresh air. Being coped up in the office all day in stale air is getting to me. I can't seem to concentrate on the task at hand."

The younger one shrugs his shoulder and turns back around to face the TV. He goes to grab the controlled next to him to resume his game. Speaking over his shoulder he calls to his brother.

"Don't stay out to late. I don't want to have to send Isono out to look for you. For al you know you could get jumped. You are the rich and handsome CEO of KaibaCorp after all."

Rolling his eyes and grabbing his dark brown jacket off the hook by the front door he speaks to hi brother. "I am fully aware of who I am Mokie and I can take care of myself I'm not a girl."

"I never said you were. I was just saying that some people could be after your ass is all in more meanings than one."

Turning and glaring at his brother while he puts on his jacket. "LANGUAGE Mokuba!"

The younger just laughs and waves his brother off. "Better get going before it gets any darker out there princess." He says the 'princess part mockingly.

"Very funny Mokie. I'll be leaving now and I want you in bed by time I get back. You should have been in bed a long time ago. It is a school night you know. And don't think for one second that I will be letting you skip out on class because you stayed up all night playing video games."

"But Seto, I don't want to go to school. I'm already the top of my class and without evening trying. Besides don't talk tot be about staying up late. You do it all the time and you have school and work to attend to."

"Don't test the waters Mokie. I mean it when I say bed by time I get back. And you ARE going to school, tomorrow tired or not."

Sighing Mokuba turns the TV and game system off. He goes over to his tall sibling and gives him a hug before running up the stairs to his room. For added affect he turns at the top of the stairs and blows a raspberry at the other. Seto just laughs and walks over to the door grabbing his keys.

"Night Mokie."

"You're now fun!" Mokuba says jokingly. "Don't stay out to late. I promise I will send Isono off after you."

Sighing Kaiba walks out the front door mumbling something along thee lines of 'Brothers can't live with the, cant live without them.' Unbeknownst to him he was about to make a huge discovery about one of his closest rivals. One that he was not ready to know nor thought could possibly be going on.


	2. I is for Insight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba stumbles upon our blonde friend's home situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I Don't Own Yu-Gi-Oh!

It was a little after 10 o'clock, on a Thursday night when the elder Kaiba brother finally left the Kaiba Estate. Kaiba Seto, CEO of the multi-billion dollar KaibaCorp, started off on a walk though the cool night air of one October night. A gust of wind blows past him ruffling his brunette locks. Shivering slightly from the cold he pulls his jacket closer around his lithe frame. He needed this fresh air. He has been locked in his office all day after school. There were so many things going on. With KaibaCorp projects and the Christmas party just a few months away he had a lot on his plate. Not to mention there was school work and such on top of it all.

A side note, he had no idea what his younger brother would be planning for his 19th birthday. The kid could be a little rebel when he wanted to be. He shivered at the thought of what the younger of the two could be scheming. One thing he knew of was that the 'Yuugi-dachi' would be involved in some form. Mokuba had grown awfully close to the group after Battle City. Not that he blamed him. The kid easily made friends. Kaiba Seto on the other hand didn't care nor have time for them. Sure over the years the hostility between them died down to tolerable. Well that was all of the except for one. Jounouchi Katsuya was a whole different ball park.

With both Kaiba and Jounouchi's personalities the two would always clash. Kaiba always having to be domineering and Jounouchi rebellious never backing down things were bound to get out of hand. They were so alike yet so different. If given time Yuugi thought that they could be great friends, but neither was willing to give into the other. Maybe Jounouchi's fiery personality was what drew Kaiba to him. He was the only individual that would cower in fear or back down. He would always challenge Kaiba's authority.

Speaking of the 'mutt' Kaiba stopped and thought for a moment. It seemed that as of late his fiery spark was becoming tame around the tall brunette. Sure they fought at times but there weren't many of them anymore. It appeared as if something was troubling the young man. He would start coming to school later than normal barely missing the bell for the start of class. If he wasn't mistaken he looked more exhausted lately as well, physically and mentally. Hell he was even starting to skip P.E. his fast class of the day. Or Kaiba assumed so since Honda and the blonde would make cat calls at the girls. No wonder they couldn't find a date.

Shaking his head Kaiba stops. When did he let his mind trail off on the subject of the 'mutt'? Looking up from his musings he takes in his surroundings. Somehow in the mist of his mind wondering he had ended up in the run down side of Domino City. How long had he been lost in thought to end up on the complete opposite side of the city? Glancing down at his watch he notices he has been out and about for nearly two hours. If he didn't head home soon or inform Mokuba he was going to have a very mad pre-teen after him. Scratch that a very mad pre-teen and Isono.

He didn't want to think about what Isono would have to say on behalf his younger brother. The man could be scary in his own right, especially when siding with Mokuba. The first time he saw it he wanted it to be the last.

Taking in his new surroundings he notices that the streets are littered with broken glass, trash, and anything else one could imagine littering the poor side of town. Heck buildings where so run down they were barely standing on their foundations. Across the street he could she girls waiting patiently for someone to drive up. He sighed sadly. Who ever would want to resort to that kind of life? It was dangerous he heard to be a Prostitute or Hooker.

He goes to pull out his phone to inform Isono of his late departure when he notice a young child close to the age of ten sighting against a brick building. He smiles gently to the youngster and pulls out his wallet. Looking inside he pulls out a 2,000 yen note and a 1,000 yen note. Bending down at the knees he takes the boys hands and places the money inside them. He child smiles brightly at him. No words where needed to be spoken. Seto laughs lightly as the child gets up holding the money close. The young one nods to Kaiba and takes off running into the night holding the money close.

Pulling out his cell phone Seto leans against the brick building covering up obscene graffiti. The time reading back to him, saying that it was already 12:30 in the morning. Mokuba was going to have it in for him for sure. Quickly, he texts Isono, telling him that he would be staying the night at the Kaiba Hotel. It would be a lot faster to walk there than all the way back to the Estate.

Scanning his surrounds he spots a small shaggy bar down the street. He could hear commotion coming from the entrance of the bar as a man was being thrown out. Or was tempted to be thrown out. Curiosity getting the better of him he slowly walked closer keeping in the shadows. He maybe curious but it didn't mean he wanted to get involved in a drunken brawl. Besides there was a 24/7 convenience store across the street. He could go in there and get a much needed cup of coffee. He was going to need he told himself.

When he neared he could see a man in his mid to late forties. The said man was roughly pushed out of the bar. Stumbling for his balance he nearly falls flat on his ass. The man could barely stand on his own two feet. He had to use the conveniently place trash can for support to hold himself up right. It was evident that the man was severely intoxicated having far too many drinks.

He spoke with a drunken slur. "Ah cum fuon, Jac. I'll ya ou tomorroo." (Ah come on, Jack. I'll pay you tomorrow.)

As Kaiba neared the drunken man he got a whiff of what could only be described as years of smoking and drinking. It smelled like it was imbedding in his skin. He did all he could do from gagging from the stench. Grimacing at the smell he looks up and sees another man approach the threshold of the bar entrance. This man unlike the other he looked well off, middle class stature. He was a taller than average thin male. Long black hair was tied up in a ponytail and deep piercing green eyes almost the colour of emeralds stared annoyingly at the drunk. It was very apparent that unlike the other this man was in fact very sober. In all actuality he was most likely the bar own or a bartender.

The man spoke with perfect elegance and smoothness. He was so well spoken he could have been a public speaker on behalf of the some governmental institution.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Jounouchi. I do not believe that would be in my best interest or possible."

"And yi ot?" (And why not.) The drunkard responded trying to get up in the other mans face, but failing to keep his balance in check. He almost feel back knocking the trash can and what ever it's contains be on the ground.

"You already have a high bill. If I do so recall I believe you told me the exact same thing last time. Matter of fact you say it every time you come here. Not once have you come through for me. I'm sorry but this time I can't and will not accept your words."

"I romus tis ime I ill." (I promise this time I will.) The man now known as Mr. Jounouchi tried to compromise placing a wobbly drunk hand on the others shoulder.

Sighing and shaking his head the more decent of the two removes the offending appendage from his shoulder.

"I'm sorry again, Sir, that will not work this time. I have a business to run and a family of my own to support. I cannot and will not keep depending on your lack for better term lies. I just can't do it when I fully know you will not come through on them."

"Ah, sum fuon, Jac uddie o en." (Ah, come on, Jack buddy of mine.)

Sighing once more, Jack pinches the bridge of his nose closing his eyes. When he opens them again he gently turns Mr. Jounouchi around in the direction we can assume is his home.

"Sorry, Mr. Jounouchi, I will not give into your childish pleading. I highly suggest that you go home. Take a hot shower and spend some time with that son of yours. He's at that age now where he could be leaving you to go off to Collage. Go spend your time with your son instead of at my bar. Better yet stop drowning your life away in alcohol. It doesn't help make things better."

Ignoring the man further, Jack walks back into his bar shutting the door behind him. He had enough of the man's antics for awhile. He ran a bar but that didn't mean he had to put up with people that wanted to get drunk and drown their sorrows away. It just didn't work like that. Hell alcohol made things worse; he knew this from his own personal experiences, ones that he learned from.

A few minutes later the drunken man walks away from the bar mumbling obstinacies under his breath. For added affect to his anger he kicks the trash can over spilling its contents over the cold ground. Stumbling away in the same direction that our young CEO was standing, he almost collides with him in his intoxicated state. If Kaiba wasn't so quick on his feet he would have been knocked to the ground by the bulky man. Looking up in his drunken stupor he glares at the other man he almost collided with. Anger drips like venom from his lips.

"Otta mi ay, unk!" (Out of my way, Punk)

Recoiling away from the man and his stench Kaiba mentally rolls his eyes at the man before him. There was no point in egging the man on further. Who knew what he was capable of in this state? It was then that Kaiba Seto got a good look at the man. He was dressed in old faded jeans with numerous holes from extended ware. His sweater was litter with tiny little burn holes from falling ashes of a cigarette. Stains old and new coloured his sweater and faded jeans. What really caught Kaiba's eyes was the mop of dusty graying blonde hair and blood shot honey coloured eyes. Something about the man bugged him to no end. He felt as if he knew him in some way. He possibly couldn't, could he?

Kaiba couldn't help but think that the man was an utter and complete buffoon wasting away his life. Booze, alcohol, and cigarettes didn't make ones life easier. As far as he was concerned it was a huge waste of money. Sure he had the occasional drink at a business party, but he never went over his limit to get intoxicated. It wouldn't be very professional of him. Secretly he didn't want to turn into his step-father.

The young man truly felt sorry for whoever the man's son was. No one should ever have to put up with a father like that or any parent or guardian for that matter. The thought that he knew the man kept itching away at him till something clicked. A second glance at the man's back and the gears in his brain started to roll. Blonde hair, honey coloured eyes, that strong broad frame, and what did that man call him before? Mr. Jounouchi was it. It than dawned on him, he didn't know the man himself. Hell he knew his son; he went to school with the boy. He couldn't possible be Jounouchi Katsuya's father could he? The similarities were too uncanny for him to be anything but.

For the life of him he couldn't remember the 'mutt' being this poor. The blonde always had a smile plastered on his face. Than again he was so proud of those pair of expensive sneakers with a hole in them. He himself would have thrown them away and bought a new pair. Kaiba could remember the day the blonde got them. It was all he talked about. Said he risked his life to get them back from some guy with a knife. With Jounouchi's history he didn't doubt that for a minute. He was a street punk, part of a gang before he met Mutou, so was what his name. Honda? Yes that was it Honda Hiroto.

It bugged him to no end to think that this disgusting of a man could someone's father that he knew. What was Jounouchi's home life really like behind all the laughs and smiles? Did any of his friends really know what his life was like away from school and friends alike? Maybe he had the wrong Jounouchi. Come to think of it did he know any other Jounouchi's in Domino City besides the blonde duelist? Racking is brain he couldn't come up with a single one not being 'mutt'. So this man really could be his father?

What was the blonde's life really like outside of school and dueling? He didn't know he never really interacted with him in a personal matter. The only times he did was if they had to work on something together at school or if involved in Duel monsters. Did any of his friends know what his life was really like? He couldn't recall any of them ever talking about it. He knew about the others home lives though. They talked about it all the time.

Mutou lived at home with his mother and grandfather, whom ran Kame Game. He smirked mentally at the memory of visiting the place and ripping up the 4th Blue Eyes White Dragon card. He was the only rightful owner for that card and he already had the max 3 for a deck. He couldn't possibly let a forth one exist out there could he? Nope he couldn't it wouldn't be very strategic of him.

The other Yuugi-dachi members he knew of their lives as well. Masaki was a want to be Broadway dance. She was currently working at Burger World to earn some cash. He over heard that she wanted to go to New York City to train at their famous dance school. He ran into her a few times there thanks to Mokuba. The kid just couldn't get enough of American Burgers.

Honda, now who couldn't know of that skirt chasing mad man. He probably only joined the Beautification Club to get girls attention. He was always after some girl. The most recent and failure to court was Nosaka Miho. All he heard him talk about was some girl he liked and his sister. Apparently he couldn't wait for her to leave and talk her perverted little son with her. Masaki was with him on that one. He always subconsciously hugged her bosom when the brat was mentioned. Kaiba knew the source of that from his Death-T. The child was all over her. Deep down Kaiba did regret his toying with Death-T. He used to be a very different person then. After coming out of that lifeless coma he was a changed man. He didn't mean to worry Mokuba so much then. He deeply regretted that. He loved his brother too much to do that to him ever again.

Bakura Ryo, on the other hand he didn't know too much about. He knew that he was a transfer student. There was just something about him that game Kaiba the creeps. The man could be a real psycho path at times. He was one individual that he wanted to avoid and didn't care to get to know any better. He also knew that his father the owner of Domino Museum, which was the reason why he was sent to Domino High.

Otogi Ryuji was a different matter all together. He hated that man with a passion. Not only did he have the nerve to hack KaibaCorp's computer systems, he wanted to make a business deal with Kaiba. As far as Kaiba was concerned he could take his deal and shove it up his ass. He had no room from the dice master and his Dragon Dice & Dungeons game. He could take his business proposal up with Mutou Sugoroku. No, that wouldn't work; his father and Sugoroku Mutou had bad blood between the two of them. Kame Game and Black Crown will just have to remain rival game shops. Better yet he should leave his dealings what that man Pegasus J. Crawford and his company Industrial Illusions. The two were just a 'lovely' pair.

Thinking back there was one thing he didn't know about the 'mutt'. He knew he had a sister for he met her at the Battle City Finals. She must have gotten her looks from her mother for she looked nothing like her brother except for the eyes. He could have sworn that Mokuba was smitten with her with the way he sent her looks out of the corner of his eye. Oh yes he saw those looks his brother gave the girl. He just chooses not to dwell on it. It was just a youth fascination. The girl wasn't bad looking with long brown hair and those honey coloured eyes. If he didn't swing a certain way he was sure he would have been smitten like Mokuba, Honda, and Otogi. Only one was not, Mutou for he knew the boy had a crush on that Masaki girl.

A side note, he seemed to recall not seeing Jounouchi present at school that morning. The classroom had been awfully quite now that he remembered. When Jounouchi was present there was always some kind of commotion going on in class. For the life of him he couldn't remember a single day when the blonde wasn't there. Minus that one time when he got involved with his old middle school gang again. Something about him re-joining to protect his class mates. Ha, like the great Kaiba Seto needed protecting from a street punk.

Making the decision to follow the man, Kaiba set out to track him in the shadows. He needed to get to the bottom of this gut feeling he had. Some way or another he was connected to this man. For the life of him he hoped he wasn't the boy's father. This feeling growing inside of him he just couldn't ignore. If it was Mokuba he wouldn't be second guessing himself at the moment. He may have been confrontational with Jounouchi but it didn't mean he hated him or wish harm upon him.

Following the drunken Mr. Jounouchi, Kaiba traveled through many dark alley ways. He made sure to stay a good distance away. He didn't want the man to know that someone was tailing him. The allies they traveled were very badly lit. Boxed and trash was scattered though out the path. How could any one live in such conditions was beyond him. Did this park of Domino really exist?

A good twenty-five minutes later and many sad and territorial looks from stray cats and dogs later, it looked as if the man reach his destination. Looking up Kaiba could see a slightly run down 4 story apartment building. The lawn could use some heavy maintenance. The bushes need trimming and the grass needed a good cut, along with some weed killer.

Kaiba sighs as the man grumbles something inaudible under his breath. How was he supposed to keep following this man if he lived in an apartment complex? He just had to find a way to follow him. Something was eating away at him. He didn't like the feeling one bit.

With a grunt and a kick to an offending bush the older man looks up at the entrance to the apartment.

"Rat' beta ave let oor unrocked." (Brat, better have left door unlocked.)

It would seem that the man didn't have his own keys to his 'home'. Stomping up the stairs to the third floor the man barely makes it up. Along the way he kept tripping over his own two feet. Kaiba had to keep a good distance from the man. Every now and then he would send a look over his shoulder than shrug it off.

Letting the man get farther ahead of him Kaiba waited at the base of the third floor stairs. He didn't have to want to bee seen by the drunk. He was now desperately wishing that Jounouchi didn't live in this place. He was about to ascend the stairs when a young girls voice interrupts him.

"What brings ya here?"

Looking down to the small girl, barely ten he smiles warmly to her. He always had a soft spot for children.

"I was looking for a friend." Oh, how that word sounded so foreign coming from his lips.

"Who's ya friend, Mista? I might know where they live since ya look lost." She spokes Kaiba in the chest with a finger for added affect.

"Do you know the Jounouchi residence?"

She claps her hands together excitedly, smiling brightly. "OH! You must be Kat's friend!"

"Could you tell me what apartment is his? I have some school work that he missed yesterday." Suspicions confirmed. White lied told. The girl didn't need to know that he wasn't here on school business.

She shakes her head sadly. "301, but ya might wanna come back lata when Pops aint home."

"Why would that be?" puzzled Kaiba asks.

"Well ya see…."

It was just than that they both heard and anyone else in the vicinities could hear a blood curdling scream coming from the third floor. Kaiba's eyes go wide as he looks from the stairs to the little girl. He could see her figure relax sadly and a sigh escapes her.

"That's why, Mista. It's not a pretty sight when Pops is home."

She could see the puzzlement in the young CEO's eyes. She looks down sadly placing her hands behind her back. He kicks the ground with a foot.

"Pops aint a very kind man ya see. I tried ta help once. Only made mattas worse, Mista. Ma Daddy drinks too but not like Pops. He's a real mean one that he is. I feels for Kat. He's always so kind ta me and da othas."

Wide eyed Kaiba looks to the girl and turns to move around her and go up the stairs. Something very wrong was going on here and from the sound of things it didn't look good. From what the girl said this isn't something knew. How long has he been putting up with this? Kaiba couldn't just stand by and watch someone hurt what was his territory.

Before he can make it up one step, the girl grabs his arm. She looks to him with very sad eyes. Shaking her head and casts her eyes down, she speaks to him pleading.

"Wont do no good, Mista. Please don't make mattas worse."

"I can't sit by and watch as a friend is getting hurt."

With that said he gently removes her hand from his arm. He runs up the stairs two at a time. He needed to get to 301 quickly. He feared that something very sinister was going on behind that door. What did Jounouchi have to live though? He gave no signs what so ever that he was suffering from abuse. Abuse at the hands of his father no less. Kaiba should have seen the signs. He went through something along the same lines to a degree with his step-father. That man was a psycho in his own right.

When he reached the correct apartment the door was wide open. Inside he could see Mr. Jounouchi looking to the younger with anger and hatred in his eyes. Jounouchi sat on the ground cowering in the corner between the kitchen and living space. Kaiba could seem him flinch as the man yelled some inaudible words at his son. A hand was raise over his head holding a shattered whiskey bottle. Kaiba watch mortified as kick after kick assaulted the blonde. Deep hatred courses thought Kaiba's veins as he can't believe the sight before his eyes. If he could he would rip the older man apart in front of him for touching his son in such a way. No parent justly had the right to abuse there own child in such a form.

Running towards the man Kaiba grabs the nearest object he can, which happened to be what he assumed was Jounouchi's school bag. With the object in had he swings it hard at the man knocking him in the head with such a force knocking him out. If the man wasn't drunk he would most likely still be standing. Dropping the bad he rushes over to the blonde's side.

Looking up through blurry hazed honey eyes. Jounouchi questions himself if he is seeing what he is.

"Ka-Kaiba?"

Shaking his head Kaiba places a finger to Jounouchi's lips quieting him. "Don't speak. Everything's going to be fine, I promise.

Smiling weakly Jounouchi looks up to his rival and once enemy. He fought hard to stay with him. It was so hard to keep his eyes open. Slowly honey eyes drift closed barely able to stay open anyone. He couldn't hold on any longer. Barely a whisper escapes his lips directed to the brunette in the room.

"Thanks…Ka…"

"Come one stay with me Jou… Damn it mutt!"

With a frustrated growl Kaiba pulls out his cell phone, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He needed to call 119 and fast. He didn't know how long the blonde duelist had. He looked to be in bad shape. Once blonde locks where stained brown. A pool of red was forming from under his shirt. Kaiba could feel it soaking his shirt, staining his fingers with the blonde's blood. How long has this been going on?

Not long after he called the ambulance her could hear the sirens approaching. Paramedics rushed up the 3 flights of stairs to 301. What meet there eyes was not a sight they were prepared to see. Taking over quickly they remove Kaiba from the injured person. They needed to get him to the hospital fast. There was too much blood loss. Skin was starting to lose it warm. Straight to the emergency room he was to go.

* * *

It had been a good two hours since Kaiba arrived with the ambulance to Domino City General Hospital. As soon as they arrived he was ushered to the side and questioned. How the hell did they expect him to answers all theses questions? For one he was in a state of shock. Secondly he didn't know the health history to Jounouchi.

After the questioning died down he took the opportunity to give Isono and Mokuba a call. They would need to and want to know where he was. If he arrived at Kaiba Hotel like he said he was going they would have already been informed of his arrival. Much panic ensued in his phone call with his brother. It took much convincing to the younger Kaiba that it wasn't him who was in the hospital but Jounouchi.

Pacing back and forth Kaiba had thrown many death glares to anyone that had interrupted him with out news of the blonde. His eyes twitched as he heard a familiar voice coming from the entrance to the waiting room. He should have known that Mokuba would notify the blonde's best friend.

In walked Yuugi thorough he double doors that red Emergency Room Waiting Area. His usual spiky hair lay straight falling to his shoulder. His eyes looked red from tears Kaiba was sure he had shed. He didn't blame him; this was his best friend after all they were waiting for news on.

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba stops his pacing and looks over to the short duelist. He glares daggers at no one in particular. As he speaks to the other duelist his rage takes hold of him. Unable to control it anymore he punches the wall hard leaving a small dent. This action causes Yuugi to cringe along with some children as well. Bowing his head he speaks.

"Damn it! Why?"

"Kaiba, calm down! Have you heard anything yet?"

"I am calm Mutou. And no I haven't. I have been here a whole 2 hours and not heard a word. What is taking these doctors so slow?"

"I wouldn't call punching a hole in the wall calm."

"Shut it Mutou."

Before either of them could speak another word to each other they are interrupted by a doctor. Sighing, the doctor removes his surgical cap and mask. Looking between the two youths he smiles sadly to them. Holding out his hand to Kaiba and Yuugi they shake it gently.

"I'm Dr. Takahashi head of surgery. I have some news of your friend that you arrived with earlier, Mr. Kaiba and?"

"Yuugi Mutou Yuugi."

"Right, well all I can say for certain now is that Mr. Jounouchi is stable. He is currently in ICU. We will have to keep him closely monitored for the next few days. He was very fortunate that you called us when you did. If it wasn't for you I don't think the young man would have a chance to make it out alive. Don't get me wrong he is no way in the clear yet, but I do see hope."

"What are his injuries?" Yuugi asks the Dr. Takahashi. He prayed that things were too bad for his best friend. They way things were looking it didn't look well.

Dr. Takahashi signs and looks at the two of them sadly. "Well, for starters he has several lacerations, internal swelling and bleeding that we were able to stop. A few of his ribs are fractured and bruised, 2 cracked vertebrate, and his spinal column is bruised. There is also a fractured wrist, dislocated shoulder. I have to say for a lack of better terms he has been through blender."

Kaiba looks to the doctor pointedly. There was something more that the man was hiding. He had seen the look he was getting one too many times in the business world to know when someone was withholding information. What could he be hiding that he didn't want to tell them?

"What else is there? I can tell that there is something you don't want to tell us?"

"Truthfully there is one thing that worries me more than injuries that can heal. Mental and emotional wounds are harder to heal."

Kaiba looks to the Doctor threateningly. "Dr. Takahashi…"

Sighing sadly Dr. Takahashi informs the two of what their friend had gone through. He was right when he said that physical wounds could heal over time. The wounds that really had the two worried would take a long time to heal if ever. Kaiba wasn't going to stop till he had all the answers. He was more determined now than ever to help the blonde out. Who ever had raped the duelist was going to pay dearly. He just prayed that it wasn't the boy's father that had done it. That would have gone beyond sick. Not only with Mr. Jounouchi end up six feet under, but Kaiba would find himself in jail for murder.

* * *

 

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading! I will apologies now to my past readers of this story. I don't mean to make the chapters so much longer than previously were. I just find myself somehow turning what was 2 paragraphs into 2 pages. After reading many well written fanfics and growing older, I find my style has changed. If there is things I need to work on please let me know! there is always room for improvement. I will try to update once a week to bi-weekly, depending on work and kids. With the holidays coming work is getting hectic. STOP ORDERING SO MANY CAKES AND DONUTS! J/K

Please R&R


	3. S is for Scarlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tortured soul of Jounouchi is tested time and time again to the breaking point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A young man, about the tender age of eighteen, pauses outside a pair of dark red double cherry doors. Taking a deep breath, he runs a sun kissed hand through his blonde tresses.  He could not phantom what the man behind the set of doors could have called him here.  The two of them fought like rapid cats and dogs.  Though lately, the confrontations have died down to a tolerable level.  Occasionally they could stand to be in each others company without throwing a barrage of insults. A lot had changed with the adventures they had been though together.  One could now call them frenemys. 

 

Gathering his wits, he balls his hand into a fits and knocks on the doors gently. Without waiting for a response from the one behind the door he pushes the doors open.  There was no use trying to figure the other out.  There was always a good explanation for his actions, some times he hated.  So he just looks to the man sitting at the desk questioning him with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Kaiba, you wanted to see me?”

 

Piercing blue eyes look up from a computer screen to see what the interruption was.  A grin makes its way on the man’s face.  The ‘Pup’ decided to come after all.  Pushing his chair back he slowly stands up from his spot behind his desk.  An emotion that could only be described at lust briefly reads in those soul capturing blue eyes.  One look into those honey coloured eyes and he has his prey mesmerized. 

 

Subtly swaying his hips he walks out from behind his desk.  An all knowing smirk was adorning his handsome features.  Oh, how he was going to enjoy this very much.  What Kaiba wanted Kaiba got?

 

“Seto, its Seto, Pup.”

 

Honey eyes go wide as a hand is gently placed upon his cheek.  He swallows a lump in his throat. Questioningly he looks up to Kaiba.  What did the man want with him?  Why was he being so ‘friendly’?  Didn’t hey hate each other?  These questions and more, race through his mind.

 

“K-Kai…”

 

Before he could finish the other sends him a cold glare.  Didn’t he moments before tell him to call him Seto.  It looked like someone needed to train the dog all over gain.  Couldn’t have him disobeying his master now could we?

 

Kaiba moves his tall lanky figure closer to the others short and more broad build.  He leans down dangerously close running a thumb over the others lips lowly.  This causes the shorter of the two to stumble backwards a bit.  What had gotten into him?

 

“I said to call me Seto.  Didn’t I?”

 

“Se-Seto, what are you doing?”

 

The name sounded so foreign, yet it flows so easily from his mouth. Cheeks tint a shade of red as he tries to move backwards.  The other was having no part in that. With each step back the blonde took, one forward he did.  This continued till there was no place left for him to go.  Broad shoulders connect with the cherry wood doors.  Was it getting hot in here?

 

“Oh. Nothing.”

 

Placing a hand on the blonde’s hip and cupping his chin, he brings their lips together.  A gentle kiss soon turns into a soul passion bruising one.  Tongues tangle together in a fight for dominance.  A moan escapes the shorter of the two’s lips as a hand slowly trails its way to his backside.  Grabbing his ass roughly he pulls their two bodies closer together.  Both could feel their growing excitement and need between their legs.

 

Tan hands tangle themselves into brown tresses.  What was coming over him?  Didn’t he hate this man?  Who the hell was he kidding, right now he didn’t care.  He wanted the other just as much as he wanted him.  Kaiba was much too happy to oblige.  He snakes a hand down the other’s side and to the front of his growing bulge.  Another moan escapes his lips.

 

What was Kaiba doing to him?  Eyes go wide as he feels the others hands slowly unzip his jeans.  Fingers dance ghostly on his hips, just under the waist band of his boxers.  Breaking the kiss the brunette licks his lips staring into hazed honey eyes.  Slowly he leans down to his knees keeping eye contact.  Hands leisurely pull down his articles of clothing.  Cheeks blaze a deep shade of red as he can’t look away mesmerized.  He had a strong feeling he knew what was to come and he couldn’t wait any longer.  Would he just hurry the hell up?

 

A loud moan escapes his lips as he flings his head back with a thud against the doors.  He could feel hot, wet, warm heat engulfing his weeping...

 

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…

 

Jounouchi bolts straight up in bed slamming his hand down upon his blaring alarm clock.  Cold sweat drips from his body as his pulse races.  Eyes wide he stares into the sun lit room of his.  Placing a shaky hand on his chest he feels the rise and fall of rapid breathing and a pounding heart.  He tries to calm his raging body from the high of his dream.  He was intoxicated by it, but why?

 

Taking a deep breathe he breaths out “Holy Shit… What the fuck was that?”

 

Many thoughts began to race through the young blonds mind.  Why would he have a dream like that? Didn’t he hate the man?  Why was Kaiba always over powering and dominating him?  He liked that didn’t he?  To be dominated by the other?  What a minute where was his train of thoughts taking him?  Did he secretly really ‘like’ Kaiba or was he just frustrated?

 

 

All a sudden in the mist of these wandering thoughts there was a loud knock at his bedroom door.  Well more like a loud bang as a large fist smashed into it from the other side.  The owner of said fist was an average height male with dirty shaggy blonde hair.  His eyes where blood shot and breath reeked of alcohol.   

 

“OPEN THIS GODDMAN DOOR YOU FUCKING BRAT.”

 

Honey eyes go wide with fear.  The young blonde scoots further towards the wall of his bed.  Eyes dart across the room for any form of escape from his fathers intoxicated wrath.  Shit, he was going to be in for it if he didn’t find a way out, and soon.  Heart races faster as eyes see the door knob jiggling in rage.

 

Fingers stained yellow grabbed the door knob and twisted.  With the door not yielding to his depends a large foot clad in boots raises and smashes into it.  Wood splinters from the frame as it is knocked from the hinges.  A man that looks much like Jounouchi, but aged by years and alcohol abuse enters the room.  He is cloaked in a menacing aura as he stares at his son.

 

“YOU LISTEN TO ME WHEN I CALL YOU.  I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH A STUPIUD MISTAKE LIKE YOU.  YOU ARE TO OBEY MY ATHORITY, YOU HEAR?”

 

“Y-yes, Father.”  The young blonde said cowering barely above a whisper.

 

“GET OVER HERE NOW!”  The boy’s father roared in anger.

 

The older man approaches his young teen’s bed with booming speed for someone that is intoxicated.  If he had such speed and control now.  What would he be like when he wasn’t under the influence?   He causes his son to cower in fear for what is to come.  This is the same routine they have played out for years.  It was nothing but the norm for the 2 members on the Jounouchi household.  Why the teen never fought back remains a mystery.  It could be due to the fact that this was his ‘father’ and deep down he loved him?  Or could it be that when he fought back in the past it made matters much worse?  The elder Jounouchi was a lot stronger that some would think.  This was probably attributable to his training in the military when he was a lad.

 

The teen’s father makes his way quickly over the bed that he was recoiling within.  Not wanting to make his father any madder than he seemed to be at the time, the teen hastily rises from the sheets.  In the process he stumbles and tangles his feet within the old and worn out bed sheets.

 

Honey eyes momentarily catch a glimpse of the window to his room is open a crack.  Maybe he can make his way over to it and fling it open to jump out?  Not wanting to waste an opportunity that has presented its self, he untangles himself.  Placing him between what was left of the door and the window he tries to make his move. 

 

All is in vain, for now he has trapped himself within his father’s ever dwindling reach.  He wasn’t given enough time to use either escape route.  Both so close in reach yet so far away.  Before he could make a move that would have spared him one day of pain he is grabbed in an iron grip.

 

A strong hand, stained yellow, gripes the teen’s throat in a vice like gripe.  The lighter of the two is thrown harshly against the wall behind him.  A pained groan escapes the younger’s lips has his back is roughly slammed in to said wall.  Fingers tighten around his neck, almost to the point of bruising, as he is lifted from the ground.  Feet dangle above the ground has tanned hands grab at the older male’s hand on his neck.

 

Trying to kick his feet at the man before him he is slammed into the wall once more.  A dry pained sound could be heard from his lips as what little air is knocked from his lungs.  Why does he let himself live with this?  Shouldn’t he be searching for anything to hold onto?  Anything to help him climb out of this hole he lives in daily?

 

Mr. Jounouchi delivers an intense punch to his stomach as he releases his grasp on his son.  This causes his son to fall to the ground with a thud. He doubles over from the pain inflicted by his not so loving father.  His hands grab at his throat. Coughing hard he tries to catch the air that he had lost.  Tears threaten to spill from his honey eyes.    

 

“YOU ARE WORTHLESS, WORTHLESS.  YOU WERE NOTHING BUT A MSTAKE.  IF I COULD DO IT OVER YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN.  WHEN I TELL YOU TO COME I EXPECT YOU TO COME.  YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DISOBEY ME.”  Mr. Jounouchi yells at his son has he looms threateningly over him.

 

Before you young 18-year-old blonde teenager could recover from the blow his father delivered, his father closed the distance once more.  Powerful kicks after powerful kicks rain down upon the boy.  One said kick lands in the same place as he was just punched in moments before with a sickening snap.  Katsuya could tell by the sound that his father had broken a rib of two.  He instinctively curls into a fetal position to shield his chest from the assault.  He is barely able to catch his breath from the start of the onslaught. 

 

Once again the man known as his father moves in for the kill not giving his son time to recover.  He grabs him once more and pulls him up from the floor. With a strong force he flings him across the room to the other side.  The teen collides with the wall and curls into a ball. His back is then facing the man of his torment.  Repeatedly kicks and punches descend upon his bruised, battered, and torn body.

 

Compared to all the other beatings this one was becoming the worst by far for the teen.  It was as if someone has pissed the man off by far and he was taking out all his anger on him.  The young one was completely unaware of what worse events were in store for him in the future.  These events would soon lead to the young man’s undoing.

 

Mr. Jounouchi screams verbal assaults at the youth combined with the physical.  He was blaming him for everything that had gone wrong in his life.  All his problems were his son’s fault and not his own.  One main insult takes deep hold on the teen.  The one thing that always dwells on his mind tormenting him, he believed every word of it.  He was the reason that his mother left and took his beloved little sister with her.  The daughter that the man claimed wasn’t his. 

 

_**~FLASHBACK~** _

 

A ten-year-old boy with blonde shaggy hair and honey brown eyes wakes up from a deep slumber in the land of sugar drops and ice cream, dreams.  Little hands tiredly rub at sleep hazed eyes.  Blinking a few times honey eyes adjust and find boxes and boxes lining the living room.  Taking a peak he slowly opens and box and finds that it is filled with his mother’s and sister’s belongings.  Puzzlement and curiosity flow through him. 

 

Box after box he peaks into he finds more and more of there things.  Not one boxed yielded anything that was his father’s of his.  Why where their thing’s packed up and not dad’s and his?  He didn’t recall his mother or father saying that they would be going on vacation or moving. Where they just cleaning house?  Maybe that was it.  He was taking nap and didn’t have time to go through his things.  His father was away at work so he couldn’t go though his.  Right?

 

Wandering thought he house he couldn’t seem to find his little sister.  Nor was his mother anywhere to be found with in.  Looking out the front door he spots them around the Volkswagen. The young lad calls out for his mother and sister.

 

“Mother, Shizuka, what’s going on?”

 

He receives no answer from his mother only a glare.  He runs out to her and gently tugs on the hem of her shirt.  Why was his mother ignoring him? Did he do something wrong?  He tried to be a good kid and big brother.  He always listened when told.

 

“Mom?”  He questions his mother.

 

He could see that his mother was packing boxes and bags into the forest green Volkswagen.  His eyes look at his mother pleadingly.  His little sister comes around from the front of the car and hugs onto her brother tightly.  Looking down at her son he shakes her head.

 

“Get back into the house, Katsuya.”  He demands of him to return from where he came.

 

Just than an aqua coloured Toyota Prius pulls up the curb in front of the house.  An average height man with shaggy blonde hair and honey eyes climbs out the driver side of the car.  The first thing he sees when he arrives home his is wife packing boxes into their Volkswagen.  He looks to his wife puzzled as s he ushers Shizuka into he car.

 

“Shizuka, in the car now.” She calls with panic etched into her voice.

She shoves the young brunette girl into the car and quickly climbs into the driver’s seat.  She locks the door to the car and places the car into reverse.  Rolling down the window a crack she calls out to her husband and son.

 

“Kenji, Katsuya, I never want to see you two ever again!  You were nothing but the worse mistake of my life!”

 

With that said she floors the Volkswagen and flies out of there.  Katsuya rushes after the car as fast as his little legs would let him.  He can see his sister looking out the back window yelling to him.  On her lips he could read his name.  Tears fall from her eyes as she bangs on the glass calling out to her beloved older brother.

 

“SHIZUKA!!!”  Katsuya calls after his sister crying.

 

He doesn’t get far in chasing the car as it drives off.  Little legs tire and he bends over hands on his knees.  Tears fall from his eyes in rivers.  Within seconds his father in on him.  This would be the start of many bruises, lie, and abuse to come for years.

 

Looking to his father with eyes red and tear soaked skins he questions him hoping that he had some answers as to where mom and Shizuka were going.

 

“Daddy, why did mom and Shizuka leave?”

 

He buries he head into his father’s shirt has his body shakes with salty tears.  Instead of a comforting hug and words of promises he only receives one that are harsh and destructive.  Damaging to the young boy's mind, body, and soul are these harsh words.  Escape his father's lips. 

 

“She left and it’s all because of you.  You’re nothing but a problematic mistake that’ll never amount to anything.  You are the cause of everything.  You shouldn’t have been born.”  The boy’s father bellows at the youngster.

 

He pushes his son away from him as if he was the bubonic plague and slaps his hard across the cheek.  This action causes the young Jounouchi Katsuya to cry even more tears.  Why would a father deliver such unsympathetic treatment and bestow it upon his own flesh and blood?  His father yells at the boys grabbing his hair and dragging him back into the house.

 

“Boy’s don’t cry.  It's time you be came a man.”

 

Once within the confines of the house the years of physical, emotional, and mental abuse are unleashed and begin to take shape.  Mr. Jounouchi punches young Katsuya square in the abdomen while yelling curls things at the boy.  He repeatedly tells him that he was nothing but a worthless mistake.  He was the cause that his mother left.  This action causes the boy to collapse onto the cold hard wood flooring in the living room.  The child wheezes for the air that was removed forcibly from his young lungs

 

“You are an insignificant error.  You have no purpose here.  You good-for-nothing, brat.”  The ‘gentleman’ verbalizes at the boy.  “She NEVER loved you!  NIETHER have I!” 

 

With each word spoken he delivers a kick to the boy while he is down.  All the poor boy can do is curl up into a ball and pray.  Pray, for this all to be just some sick nightmare his mind cooked up.  He was a good boy, did what he was told.  Wasn’t he?  The way his father spoke though he was starting to believe the damning word his ears heard.

 

“No one will ever LOVE you.  You ARE NOTHING and will ALWAYS be NOTHING. 

 

One final kick descends upon the now bruised and bloody child.  Hair that was once blonde is now stained a strawberry red.  For the first time in his young like Katsuya sub comes to the realm of darkness.  This would not be the last time his mind ends up there.  No this was just the beginning to a scarlet life.

 

_**~END FLASHBACK~** _

 

“IT’S YOUR FAULT THAT YOUR MOTHER AND SISTER LEFT.  YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THE REASON WHY I LOST MY JOB YESTERDAY!”  The elder Jounouchi stated as if it was the most obvious conclusion.

 

“YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A TERRIBLE MISTAKE THAT WILL NEVER AMMOUNT TO ANYTHING.  YOU AREN’T GOOD FOR ANYTHING.  MY LIFE WOULD HAVE EBEEN SO MUCH EASIER IF IT WASN’T FOR YOU.  YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE, BUT DEATH IS TOO GOOD FOR YOU.  YOU HAVENT EARNED THE RIGHT TO IT YET.” 

 

The elder Jounouchi continues to beat his son into a bloody heap.  All our favorite blonde can do is stay curled into a ball trying to defend his abused ribs.  He coughs and wheezes trying to catch his breath. 

 

Sadly the young blonde believes every word that his father throws at him.  You couldn’t tell this though from the outside for he wears a mask of exuberance in front of others.  A happy grin is always plastered on his face.  Jokes will fly from his lips trying to get his friends to smile. 

 

No what he truly believes on the inside was the complete opposite.  He knows that he is nothing and will never be anything but.  He just thinks that his friends are friends out of pity.  They just pitied him because he did poorly at school and he was an ex-bully.  Maybe they were just using him.  He couldn’t deny that he was strong.  Hell he grew up on the streets in a gang.  He had to fight almost daily to survive.  He had his fair share of battles and won.  The only one he couldn’t stop was his own flesh and blood.

 

Secretly he wishes deep down inside that someone could save him from this torment he lives with daily.  He has had enough.  How much more could his mind take?  How much more could his body withstand?  Would he forever be a punching back for his father?

 

Just maybe if he let the darkness consume him he wouldn’t have to endure anymore.  It was starting to get hard top fight to stay conscious.  He could feel himself fading fast.  Maybe he will just give in.  No, he can’t do that just yet.  There must be someone out there, someone like Kaiba maybe?  Maybe he could save him.  He was strong, handsome, fearless, and powerful.  Why was he having these thoughts?  He hated the man didn’t he?  He knew for sure Kaiba hated him.  Didn’t he?

 

Could that all just be a cover though?  He couldn’t be the coldhearted bastard that he let others think.  Just look at the way he was with his brother, Mokuba.  No one that was that loving towards a sibling could be coldhearted to the core.  He loved him just as much as Jounouchi loved his little sister.   He wished he could have a close relationship with her like the two Kaiba’s did.  Maybe, just maybe things would have been different.

 

 He shouldn’t be having these thoughts.  His father was always right.  He was nothing but worthless.  A stupid mistake as he put it.  No one would ever love him or try to save him.  So why would he wish for Kaiba to save him of all people?  Kaiba was the last person the face of the planet that could ever love him let alone be a friend.

 

Suddenly his father stops the beating and looks to his son with a huge grin on his face.  This is never a good sign for our dear blonde.  What did his father have planed for him?  Did he know what was crossing his mind? Oh for the blonde’s sake we hope not.  If he ever had a vague feeling his son was wishing for another man to save him or even love him he would be wishing he was six feet under.

 

“You know Katsuya; there is something you can help me with.  I have some real good use for you.  With your help all my debt can be cleared away.  Oh and I should have plenty of money left over too.  My pachinko buddies have been asking me a lot about you. ”

 

Mr. Jounouchi leans down and grabs his son’s chin and lifts him up to look at him in the eyes.  Hazed honey eyes stare back at mischievous ones.  Things just got worse for the dear young one.  He could tell what his father was thinking.  He had heard the conversation once between one of his friends.  Oh how he prayed now more than ever for darkness to engulf him.  The last thought that runs though his head is ‘Kaiba help me...’

 

 

Jounouchi Katsuya sub comes to the dark kingdom known as the unconscious mind.  The world he has grown quite familiar with over the passing years.  His father walks away, leaving him there on the floor bleeding.  Not giving a care in the world towards his son.  He was now a man on a mission.

 

                His pachinko friends were going to receive a phone call that they all have been waiting for.  They were in for a real treat if Mr. Jounouchi got the asking price he wanted.  It would be a delicious treat for them but a burnt one for Katsuya.  It couldn’t even be called that, more like a nightmare.  It wouldn’t take long for these events to play out.  Oh no they would have all night.  Mr. Jounouchi wasn’t going to waste anymore money on letting his son go to that school.  It was a waste when there would be better things he could do.  Things that would earn money not throw it away.

 

                

* * *

 

 

Fading in and out of consciousness Jounouchi could hear voices coming from the other room.  What were they talking about?  How long was he out?  Man his head was ringing pretty badly.  He must have taken a real beating this time from his father.

 

                Young Jounouchi didn’t have to wait long for an answer to his unspoken questions.  He wasn’t looking for this to be the answer though.

               

                “I see that you are awake, brat.”  Mr. Jounouchi says looking down at his son.

 

“He sure is a pretty on, Kenji.  Are you sure you’re willing to share the boy?” A tall lanky man with black hair says to his father.

 

“As long as I get the amount I’m asking for I don’t care what you do to him.  You can break a few bones or tear him up for all I care.  I only ask that you don’t kill him.  I don’t want to have the police after my hide for murder now.  And you all best be done with the deed by time I get back.”

 

Katsuya can roughly hear the sound of a few men laughing as one man places a large sum of money in his father’s hands.  What were they talking about?  Did his father just sell him off?  He watches as his father walks out the front door slamming it behind him.  One of the men walks up to him and leans down.  He grabs a hold of the youngster’s face examining him licking his lips.

 

“You sure are a pretty one.  Shall we see if you truly are a blonde?”

 

                Katsuya tries to struggle away from the man, but it’s all in vain.  He is too broken to try and resist what the men have planned for him.  He is quickly stripped of his shirt as it is ripped away from his body.  Fingers dance ghostly upon his hips just under the waistband of his pants.  They couldn’t and wouldn’t, would they?

 

                Three grown men surround the young blonde filled with lust and desire.  They had a wonderful treat before their eyes that they would devour completely.  They couldn’t wait to have a taste of this rarity.

 

                Pants are soon tossed to the side along with boxers.  Hungry eyes stare at the youth before them.  Fingers dance upon tanned and bruised skin.  The boy shivers from their touches.  He didn’t want this.  He could feel his body start to react as lips make their way down his side to his nether regions.  Why was his body reacting?

 

One man latches his greedy lips upon his own in a bruising kiss.  Teeth nibble and bite hard drawing blood.  A moan of pain escapes his mouth allowing unwanted access.  Hands pin his body down to keep him from lashing out.  Lips and hands ravish his body.

 

He can feel himself getting hard from their ministrations.  He tried to will his body not to react and give them satisfaction and pleasure.  No mater how hard he tried his body wouldn’t listen to his wishes.  It had a mind of its own.

 

“I think he’s enjoying himself.  You’re a little slut aren’t you, you pretty little thing?”

 

 A loud moan is release from young lips as one of the elder men takes his growing member into his mouth.  Tears spill from his eyes in rivers.  His body shakes with unwanted pleasure.  One of the men’s dicks is roughly shoved into his face.  ‘Suck’ he is commanded to do.  He turns his face away there was no way he was going to ever do that.

 

He isn’t given much of a choice as he is forced to open his mouth and take the hardened cock into his warm cavern.  This entices a moan from the man as he holds the teen’s head in place.  He rocks his hips causing the boy to gag.  His cock moves in and out of the warm wet heat of the boy’s mouth.

 

Redden honey eyes go wide as he feels on of the men’s hands squeezing his buttocks.  Fingers dance playful along his underside teasing his hole.  He closes his eyes tight hoping this is nothing more than some sick and twisted dream.  He would wake up soon to the sound of his alarm going off.  A nightmare this is not.

 

The man playing with his rear removes his hands and grabs a hold of his hard weeping member.  He places his cock at the boy’s entrance.  Leaning down he whispers into his ear biting it drawing blood.

 

“The real fun is just about to start.”

 

With that said the man slams his hardened cock roughly into Katsuya without any form of preparation.  This action causes him to cry out in muffled pain.  He feels as if he is being ripped into two.  He didn’t want this but he wished deep inside that they used something to lessen the pain if he was to endure this treatment.

 

Blood trickles down his backside to the floor beneath him as he is slammed into repeatedly without any mercy.  He tries to will himself to join the realm of darkness to no anvil.  His eyes go wide as something is hit deep inside of him triggers him to see stars.  He moans loudly as his prostate is hit time and time again.  He could feel himself getting harder and harder.

 

Fingers close around his cock dripping with pre-cum.  They squeeze and move up and down as the thrust of hips against him.  He can feel him self unwillingly giving into pleasure. He felt so ashamed, so embarrassed at his own body.  Why didn’t his body listen to him?  He feels himself give in with a pained grunt.  Not long after he can feel the warm sensation of being filled as the man above him releases deep inside.

 

He is not given much time to recover as he is assaulted by the other two men in the room.     Pain and pleasure mix.  Moans fill the air as the smell of sex lingers like an over sprayed perfume.  Teeth nipple and bite at flesh.  Hands slap, grab and grope.  Mouths let out moves and explore forbidden fruit.  Tired eyes squeeze closed as wishes are unanswered.

 

 

Unable to stand anymore torture darkness cascades over the young teen.

 

                It would be much later the following night when his father would come home.  He wouldn’t be coming home in a good mood that he left in.  That night he would be getting into a fight with, Jack.  A fight over drinking too much and not taking care of his son would ensue.  A son that shouldn’t be here.  A son that was nothing but a tool for him to use.  Who the hell cared what he did to the boy or how much he drank?  It was his life and he was going to live it and enjoy it immensely. 

 

                

* * *

 

 

                The sound of breaking glass and drunken cursing alerts Jounouchi’s ears.  He could barely move let alone register what was going on.  His back was killing him and his ribs burned.

 

He tried to move his body, but could not.  He screamed in pain from his efforts.  His body was swimming in immense pain.  It is precisely then that Mr. Jounouchi stumbles into the room from a night of drinking. 

 

“I ee ou ad sum un ile I was gun.”  (I see you had some fun while I was gone.)  He smirks at his son insanely with pure anger and hate.

 

                The next thing the blonde knows is that he is screaming bloody murder as his ‘affectionate’ father is slamming kicks into his bruised and battered body.  Where did he get all that strength in his drunken state?   He had never seen his father so full of rage before.  Never saw his hold so much power.

 

                A shattered whiskey bottle his held over the older Jounouchi’s head as he goes to aim it at the younger of the two.

 

The sounds of running footsteps draw Katsuya’s eyes to the newest attendee in the house of horrors.  He blinks not believing what he is seeing.  He had finally lost it.  His father falls to the ground with a sickening thud as a tall brunette with azure eyes rushes over to him. 

 

 

“Ka-Kaiba?”  Leaves his lips weakly.

 

Shaking his head the brunette places a finger upon his lips. “Don’t speak.  Everything’s going to be fine, I promise.”

 

                Jounouchi smiles weakly to his rival and once upon a time enemy.  He fights hard to stay with him.  He was getting to hard to keep his eyes open anymore.  His eyes drift close unable to stay open anymore.  He couldn’t hold on any longer.

 

“Thanks… Ka…’ escapes tiredly.

 

“Come on stay with me Jou… Damn it mutt!”  Kaiba growls frustrated.

 

Long lanky pale fingers quickly dial 119.  He needed an ambulance and fast.  Jou didn’t have much time left.  He was in very bad shape.  He looked as if he had gone through a blender.

 

               

* * *

 

 

Shortly after 1:30 in the morning on a cold Thursday night in October when an ambulance pulls up to Domino General Hospital.  Paramedics, Nurses, and Doctors rush a young blonde teen in thought the doors blaring ‘Emergency’.  A tall brunette stands off to the side being shoved out of the way.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please R&R
> 
> Next few chapters might take longer to post. There is a lot of research that I want to do to make sure facts are straight. If anything is out of place or needs changing let me know.


	4. C is for Consciousness Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In room 2144 Kaiba, Mokuba, and Shizuka eagerly wait for Jounouchi to wake from his coma. Doctors's don't carry promising words with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I DON'T own Yu-Gi-Oh!
> 
> If anyone notices anything that needs fixing or changing drop me a PM
> 
> Apologies for any OOCness
> 
> Kaiba X Jounichi (Seto X Joey) Yoai do not like do not read.

Is had been two long weeks since Kaiba Seto took that walk on a cold October night.  Two weeks since he discovered a bruised and torn Jounouchi Katsuya.  Two weeks since he has been at his bedside only leaving to go to school and work.  His days at work were much shorter these past few days.  Some days he did his work right there next to the blonde.

 

The Friday after Jounouchi was taken to the hospital he fell into a coma.  He has been at Domino General Hospital ever since.  He was given a private room thanks to Kaiba’s connections.  Doctor’s grow wearing of his condition.

 

Kawai Shizuka, Jounouchi’s sister, came to Domino City to spend time with her brother.  She applied for a transfer to their school.  Kaiba found that this action was in direct violation of her mother.  The woman didn’t seem to keen on the idea of Kawai meeting with her brother.  Kaiba couldn’t understand this, unless it went back to the days when Jounouchi was a gang member.

 

During the short time that Kawai was in Domino Mokuba and she seemed to have gotten close.  It must have been a bond between two people being younger siblings.  Or it could be that Kaiba was letting the girl reside at the Kaiba Estate.  He promised her mother that he wouldn’t let anything or anyone harm her.  At least there she had Mokuba to watch her and the light staff.

 

Mutou Yuugi had become severely affected by the whole ordeal.  He blamed himself for not noticing sooner.  He should have seen the signs.  He kept himself locked with in his room when he wasn’t visiting his best friend.  Sugoroku and his mother were to the breaking point of call his father home from business.

 

In the beginning the ‘Yuugi-dachi’ was shocked that Kaiba, the coldhearted ruthless CEO of KaibaCorp, wouldn’t leave Jounouchi’s side.  They never thought that he could hold such deep and strong feelings for the young blonde.  It was hard to grasp at first since the two always held each other in contemp.  Maybe that was Kaiba’s way of showing he cared, sometimes love can be mistaken for hate out of fear.

 

Mokuba on the other hand had known all long about his brother’s feelings.  He could tell that he had some sort of feelings for him with how he always went out of his way to have a ‘conversation’ with Jou.  Could also say that he hacked into his brother’s computer once trying to find the porn he was sure was there.  Instead of finding porn he found a coded journal that revealed a lot about his brother and his friend.  Seto was just afraid to accept he liked someone let alone that person being a guy and Jounouchi.  Mokuba could understand his feelings. Ones sexuality was a touchy subject.

 

Mr. Jounouchi was currently under police investigations on the accounts of Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Prostitution of a minor. Nothing could be proven or charges filed until the young Jounouchi filed a report. For this to happen he would have to wake up first. Then he would have to be willing to testify against his own flesh and blood. 

 

As of the past few days the doctors were growing ever increasingly worried that the patient would never wake from his coma. If he did wake he would need all the support he could get. The boy had been though a horrible ordeal, not only was he physically abused by his father he had to suffer going through be raped. If and when he did awake the doctors told his friends and family not to bring the later subject up. If he was ready to talk he would. The feared he would bury it in a memory or blocking it out creating a void in time was on everyone’s mind. 

 

Almost every day after school the 'Yuugi-dachi' along with Mokuba and Shizuka would come up to the hospital to visit. They were hoping that in room 2144 the young carefree blonde would wake up. Day after day they came though they were greeted by the same sight. In small hospital bed laid their friend. An IV dripped into his arm, a heart monitor beeped with his steady heartbeat. His chest raised and fell with each breath with the help of an oxygen concentrator. 

 

Kaiba was the only one that visited the blonde every single day. He felt that he needed to be there for him when he woke. He needed to be there for himself too. It was the only way that he could accept this reality. Watch over him he does. He couldn’t make a move to help him till he was back with him in the land of the conscious. He needed the blonde to tell him what plagued his life. It was only then that he could get the wheels moving and make sure his life was a better one. He wanted that man to pay for what he did to his own flesh, but he couldn’t unless permission was granted. If permission wasn’t granted right away he would find a way. Jounouchi was not going back to that environment. 

 

Mokuba was beginning to worry for his brother's sanity and health. Everyday that he visits he sees his brother sitting there. Azure eyes stare at the motionless teen as if in a trance. Occasionally he would see him typing on his laptop.  He needed to keep up on his work.  KaibaCorp couldn’t just go down the drain.  It was his livelihood.  Isono could handle the things that needed to be done in the office, he trusted the man. 

 

Over the past two weeks Mokuba has noticed him getting thinner. Bags have started to appear under his eyes sometimes are red as if he had been crying. His pupils were wide, high on caffeine. All he sees his brother drink is cup after cup of coffee. That couldn’t be good for him. It was like he was afraid to sleep and take his eyes off the other. 

 

Worried about his health he was.  The doctors and nurses that cared for the blonde were starting to worry as well for the young CEO.  It was to the point where Mokuba and they were forcing Kaiba to eat something.  If he wanted to be there for the blonde he needed to keep himself healthy.  He couldn’t be there for him if he collapsed from malnutrition.

 

When the young Jounouchi Katsuya awakens he will notice that a lot had changed in such a short time.  Especially that a supposed ‘enemy’ was the one that worried about him the most.

 

Shizuka stops by when ever she can to see her brother, most of the time she doesn’t stay too long.  The sight of seeing her beloved older brother hooked up to all the machines would get to her.  How could something like this happen to him?  He was a fighter!

 

Kaiba and Shizuka had to be the fighters now for the blonde duelist.  If it wasn’t for the two of them things would have been different.  The machines that were helping to keep Jounouchi alive would have been turned off.  Kaiba and Shizuka fought for this not to happen.  Doctors listened for Shizuka was blood family and well Kaiba had money and power.

 

Meanwhile on the east side of Domino City, at Kame Game everyone had gathered.  The Yuugi-dachi, along with Mokuba, and Shizuka were discussing the situation.  They were all starting to worry about the young CEO along with their friend.  It had been a long two weeks for everyone.

 

Everyone was gathered in the living area of the house in the living room.  Shizuka sat on a light tan couch with Mokuba at her side.  Mokuba had his blue eyes downcast as he fiddled with his fingers.  He kept picking at a string of blue from his jeans.  Shizuka placed a hand upon his knee and squeezed lightly.

 

Looking up with sad eyes he looked into her hazel ones and smiled weakly.  He felt a little better being there with her.  She always seemed to bring a smile to his face, just like her brother.  Even in her time of need she was there for him and everyone else.

 

“I’m starting to worry about Seto.  He’s always there sitting with Jou.  I rarely see him eating.  The only time he leaves is when something happens at the office that needs his attention, a board meeting, or going to school I’m afraid that he might start skipping school soon.”

 

“Don’t worry, Mokuba.  I’m sure that he will be alright.  He is strong willed.  Not once have I seen anything get him down.  He always finds away to get back on top.”

 

“You’re right, Shizu.  He is always searching for a way to beat his enemies and rivals.  He never has stopped trying to find a way to defeat Yuugi.”

 

Mokuba looks to Yuugi when saying this.  It is true not matter how many times Yuugi beat his brother he always bounced back.  He was always trying to improve his deck and find new strategies.  He vowed that one day he would rein at the top once more.  He would make Yuugi suffer the same defeat he felt back when they first dueled.

 

Honda gets up from his place on the floor and walks over to the two on the couch.  He places a hand on each of their shoulders and looks to them.  Even if Kaiba didn’t like it he did think of him as a ‘friend’.  And he would be there for him when the need arisen.

 

“I can say for all of us that we are getting worried about Kaiba too.  You aren’t the only one.  I just pray that Jou wakes up soon.  I miss having him around and hearing his loud mouth and the mysteriously missing food.  We all shouldn’t worry too much he’s a fighter.  As long as I’ve know him he’s always bounced back even in the toughest of situations.”

 

Yuugi looks up from his place in the corner.  He raises his head from his knees keeping his arms wrapped around them.  Honda was right he shouldn’t worry too much.  When did he ever see the blonde not fighting his hardest?  He then speaks up thinking back to their time stuck in Kaiba’s virtual reality game.  Maybe they both had more in common than originally thought.

 

“I believe Kaiba will pull through when Jou does.  They might have more in common than we all thought.  We all got a glimpse into Mokuba and Kaiba’s childhood back when the Big Five trapped us in virtual reality.”

 

Mokuba’s eyes go wide at coming to terms with something.  He sits straight up and gets a wild look in his eye full of shock and realization.  Yuugi was right they had a lot more in common than believed.  He didn’t want to remember, but he needed to.  It just might be what was needed to help his brother and the blonde.

 

Mokuba goes pale skin with memories he didn’t wish to recall. A lone tear cascades down his cheek, dripping from his chin onto Shizuka’s hand.  She looks to him worried.

 

“Mokuba? Are you feeling alright?  You’re starting look a little pale.”

 

She places her hand upon his forehead to see if he was getting a temperature.  She hoped that he wasn’t getting sick next.  She couldn’t handle anymore not with her brother and now the elder Kaiba brother.

 

“No, No, I’m alright.  I just think I need some fresh air. Clear my thoughts if you will.”

 

Mokuba gets up from his pace on the couch and starts to head for the front door.  He needed some time to think.  There was no way that Jounouchi and Seto had that much in common. 

 

“I think I’ll go visit my brother and see how Jounouchi is doing.  Will you come with me Shizu?”

 

“Sure.  I haven’t seen my brother much since I’ve been in Domino.  Maybe he has improved since the last time I saw him.”

 

Mokuba and Shizuka bid fair well to their friends and walk out the front door of Kame Game.  They start to make their way down the streets of Domino to the hospital.  Along the way Shizuka walks up to Mokuba and questions him.  she wanted to know what had caused him such deep pain when the fact that their brothers had more in common,  what could possibly have happened to them in their childhood that had Mokuba so upset?

 

“Mokuba, what’s wrong and don’t you dare tell me nothing, I know there is something bothering you.  I can tell in your posture and you look like death just crawled in your lap.”

 

Mokuba stops on the sidewalk and leans his back against the side of the brick building to their right.  He folds his arms over his chest as if hugging himself.  A sigh escapes his lips as he looks down at the ground.

 

“Shizu, what do you remember about your father?”

 

Shizuka walks over to him and wraps her longer arms around him in a hug.  She rests her head upon his black locks.  Mokuba leans into her embrace and returns the hug wrapping his arms around her.

 

“Not much.  I wasn’t very old when our parents got a divorce and she took me with her.  I was only seven at the time.  Why do you ask?”

 

“I was just wondering what kind father he was to Jounouchi and you.  When Gozaburo was alive he would…”  Mokuba trailed off unable to finish his train of thought.  He didn’t want to relive the past but maybe he just needed to.

 

Shizuka tightens her hold on him her chestnut hair falling into his face shielding tears that threatened to fall.

 

“What did he do?  He didn’t do anything bad to you did he, or Seto?”

 

“No not to me.  It was Seto that he was a cruel bastard to.  He’d push him to the breaking point where he’d collapse in exhaustion.  It was always work, study, work, and more studying.  I guess all work and no play makes Seto a dull boy.”

 

“I’m so sorry, Mokuba.  Are you sure that he didn’t do anything to you?  You’re not hiding anything from me are you?”

 

“He did nothing to me, Shizu I can assure you.  It was just Seto.  I was ignored and left alone.  He didn’t want anything to do with me.  I didn’t show promise like Seto did.”

 

Mokuba closes his eyes tight and buries his head into her soft bosom.  Shizuka squeezes him closer in a comforting embrace.  She could feel her cheek begin to heat up at they tinted a light shade of rose red.  She had never been this close to a boy before, besides Katsuya.

 

“I miss the ‘Seto’ I grew up with before we were adopted by that bastard.  Sometimes I wish we were back at the orphanage at least then maybe he wouldn’t have changed so much.”

 

“He’s still the same big brother you grew up with deep down inside.  I’m sure he’ll come back around he just needs to open up a little.  Are you absolutely sure he didn’t do anything to you?”

 

“Yes, you worry too much, Shizu.”

 

Mokuba gently pushes himself out of her embrace.  He keeps his arms around he slim waist and looks up into her hazel brown eyes.  A blush creeps to his cheeks and a smile graces his lips.  What he did next he didn’t even know why he did it.  He leaned up closing his eyes slowly.  For some reason Shizuka followed suit.

 

She bowed her head down closing her eyes.  Two sets of rosy red lips meet in a light hesitant kiss.  Blushes adorn their faces.  Mokuba pulls back and out of her comforting embrace.  He looks down at the ground embarrassed and kicks at the dirt.

 

“S-so, what do y-you remember about your father?”

 

                The chestnut haired girl blushes madly and raises one of her hands to her lips.  Her fingers hesitantly touch them remembering the light kiss.  She tries to think back to get childhood.  Maybe there was a clue there that could help.

 

“I remember that mom and dad never got along.  They were always yelling at each other, something about dad wasting all their money on gambling and alcohol.  Dad was rarely ever home.  It was mostly just Kat and me going to the beach.”

 

“Did your dad ever do anything to you when he was drinking?”  Mokuba asked worried.  He had hoped that Shizuka didn’t have to be at the receiving end of a drunk.

 

Shizuka shakes her head and leans her back against the wall next to her friend.

 

“No, dad never touched me.  I can’t say the same for Kat.  There would be times I came home from school and he’d be sporting a black eye.  He would even have a few bruises here and there.  Kat always claimed that he got into fights at school, but I don’t think I believe that now.

 

Mom and Kat never really got along.   She would blame him for everything that went wrong, even the things that I did.  Guess I was her ‘perfect’ little angel.”

 

“Jou never got along with his mother?  I guess that explains why they tried to avoid each other like the plague during Battle City.”

 

“Ya…  I found out later why she didn’t take Kat with us when she left dad.  I hated her for it.  She always said that Kat deserved to be with him.  He was bound to turn out just like his father.  It got worse when she found out hi was in a street gang.  I don’t think that Kat will ever be like our father.  He’s way too kind and selfless.”

 

“Shizu, do you think what Seto says your father was doing to Jou was always going on?  You know behind the scene and he was just trying to hide it from us?”

 

“I’m not entirely sure.  It could explain a lot of this that had been going on.  I always suspected that dad and Kat fought, but not like this.  I think we should talk to the others about this and your brother.  Shall we get going already?  I really feel like seeing my brother now.”

 

Shizuka held out her hand to the young man.  A smile graced her beautiful face.  Her brown eyes sparkled in the sun’s radiant light.  Mokuba could have sworn he saw an angel before him.  He smiled back at her and grabbed her hand firmly into his own.

 

“Sounds like a plan.  Let’s go.  I want to see my brother and if there has been any change with Jou.  I really miss him.”

 

The two teens walk hand and hand together to Domino General.  Blushes decorated their faces like stars shinning brightly in dark night sky.  Fingers were intertwined in comfort and understanding.  No words needed to be said on how they were starting to feel for each other.

 

Mokuba is the first to break the silence.  He pauses just outside the Hospital’s entrance.  He looks up to the brunette girl.  If his face could get any redder it would.

 

“Shizuka, there’s something I need to tell you.”

 

“You don’t need to tell me.  I know what you are going to say.  And yes I feel the same way about you.”

 

She leans down to his height and places a delicate kiss upon his lips.  He blinks up looking at her face red as a tomato.

 

“H-How?”

 

“It’s not hard to figure it out.  I’m not oblivious like some. Let’s see though” She laughs and looks up to the sky finger on her lips thinking.  “I figured it out when you kept staring at me and stealing glances.  The sealer was when you kissed me moments ago.

 

“I guess you’re right.  I didn’t think it was that obvious.”  He looks up to her full and pulls her down into another kiss. This one was a little longer than the previous two.

 

“I love you Shizu.”

 

“I love you too, Coconut.”

 

Mokuba raises an eyebrow and blinks.  Where did that come from?

 

“Coconut!?  I’m not some kind of fruit!”

 

“Hmmhmm.  Whatever you say.”

 

Shizuka takes off heading through the spinning doors to the hospital lobby.  Mokuba follows after her his black hair flowing in the wind.

 

“Shizu?  Where did you get coconut from?”

 

“I’m not telling” She sticks her tongue out at him blowing a raspberry.  She turns and flips her hair and takes off towards the elevator.  She leaves a very stunned and confused Coconut… I mean Mokuba behind.  A deep blush was spreading across his face.  He stands there stunned watching her take off without him.

 

“…Coconut?”

 

“Excuse me Sir; do you need help with something?”  A nurse asks who happened to walk by and see him standing there with a confused expression on his face.

 

“Huh?  Oh no.  Thank you though.”  With that said he takes off towards the elevators to head to Jounouchi’s room.

 

* * *

 

Back up I room 2144 two of the world’s top duelist reside in the clean white hospital room, the smell of antiseptic floating through the air.  The second ranked duelist, and young CEO of the multi-billion dollar company, KaibaCorp, sits in a chair his head resting on folded arms.  His soul capturing blue eyes are closed has he rest.  His soft brown locks fall to rest upon that young man’s arm in the bed.  The third ranked duelist seems unaffected by this, for he is deep within a coma.  If he was awake words would be flying.

 

Thoughts drift though the tall man’s head.  So much had gone on in the short span of two weeks.  It seemed like an eternity had passed to him.  He rarely left to go to the office, leaving most of the work there to his right-hand man and business advisor, Isono.  He was the only one he could trust with the task.

 

The day after the blonde duelist, Jounouchi had been ‘rescued’ from his torment his friends were able to get a hold do of his younger sister, Kawai Shizuka.  It was a lot harder than they all thought to get a chance to talk to her.  Jounouchi’s, mother wouldn’t let them talk to her at first when she found out the conversation was about her son.  She didn’t want anything to do with him or hear anything.  After much convincing they finally got to talk to Shizuka.  When she was presented with the news of her brother she was devastated.  Honda was the unlucky one that had to deal with her tears over the phone. 

 

What puzzled Kaiba to no end was Jounouchi’s mother.  Why wouldn’t his own mother refuse to hear of the ordeal he went through?  Weren't you supposed to love your child unconditionally no matter what?  Kaiba thought she was a better person than his father, he guessed wrong.

 

With the chestnut haired girl staying at the KaibaEstate Mokuba has been in a better mood.  With her there and his brother not working as much, granted he’s been at the hospital next to the blonde.  Kaiba could tell Mokuba was happy with his break in work.  He would be happier if it was under different circumstances. 

 

Over the past few days the young CEO had started to suspect his younger brother and Vice-President of KaibaCorp of developing a crush on the blonde’s sister.  He caught him every now and then when they visited together stealing glances at her.  When he was caught a light blush barely noticeable would appear across his face.  He could same the same for the chestnut hair girl.  In now way was Kaiba against this, he thought it was cute.  He always knew Mokuba had a thing for older women. 

 

If only he knew how Jounouchi would feel about this development.  He saw how he acted when he found out that Honda and Otogi had a crush on her.  He went ballistic and would send menacing looks in their direction whenever they were near her.  He was a little over protective of his little sister.  He could understand not letting Honda near her, the guy was womanizer.  Otogi on the other hand, Kaiba just didn’t like the guy.  He rubbed him the wrong way.

 

So much had changed in those long yet short two weeks.  Pray Kaiba did that it wouldn’t be too much for the blonde duelist to take in when he woke from his slumber in the land of sugar canes and candy drops.  Well Kaiba hoped that was where he was dreaming. With the way Jounouchi was about food he was most certain that’s were he was.  He probably didn’t want to leave the land of bliss where there was no one there to cause harm.

 

Thinking back he guessed that Jounouchi didn’t have to worry about his brunette friend going after his sister anymore.  Lately Honda and the brunette girl, Anzu, have been hanging out a lot more.  He didn’t know if they were starting to have feelings for each other, because he could have sworn the girl was infatuated with Yuugi.  Well she was until that summer when they all went in ‘the past’.  He still couldn’t believe there was such a thing as magic.  There had to be some scientific explanation for everything that had happened on their adventure together that he got dragged into more times than he was willing.

 

Poor Mutou Yuugi, he was the one taking things the hardest.  His father arrived home 2 days ago from his business trip to China.  Yuugi’s mood started to improve with the arrival of his father whom he hadn’t seen in 2 years.  He was starting to eat some now and didn’t look at gaunt ad 2 days ago.

 

There was one thing that keep crossing Kaiba’s mind, silly as it was.  He was starting to believe that it might work.  He was up for anything that would help the blonde awake from his comatose state.  Even though this wasn’t a fairy tale maybe, just maybe he could wake him like Prince Charming did with Snow White.

 

If you thought about it he was similar to the prince.  He was tall and slender, brown hair, handsome with piercing blue eyes, and willing to do anything to save his ‘princess’ from the evil clutches of her step-mother.  The Evil Queen in this case would by Jounouchi Kenji, the ‘princess’s’ father.  Instead of being poisoned by an apple his mind and body were poisoned by abuse. 

 

In the same case Jounouchi was similar to Snow White.  He was poisoned by his father not by an apple but by abuse; physical, mental, and emotional.  Maybe ‘true love’s first kiss’ could wake him as it did in so many fairy tales?  There was only one way to find out. 

 

Kaiba shoots up straight in his seat and shakes his head.  He must be going insane if he was thinking that a kiss would wake the blonde from his slumber.  Needed to clear his head, but what if it really did work?  Should he give it a try?  There was no harm in trying was there?  Well here goes nothing.

 

Eyelids slowly fall hiding ocean blue eyes.  Cheeks flush a rosy red.  Slowly he leans forward with half lidded eyes.  He hesitates for a moment his lips barely above the others.  Why was he doing this?  This wasn’t like him.  He didn’t give into emotions, they were weakness.  His body takes over control as his lips descend upon the lips of ‘Sleeping Beauty’.  They touch in a hesitant kiss so gentle and loving.  The bed creaks under the added weight. ‘If this is your first kiss I apologize.  I just hope no one walks in.  It would look to a passerby that I was taking advantage of you.’

 

Just outside the room down the hall a little two young voices could be heard giggling, the doorknob to the door turns and in pops two teenagers.  Hazel and blue eyes go wide as the boy and girl stop just inside the doorway.  They stare at the scene before them.  Where they really seeing it?  The CEO of KaibaCorp was bent over the blonde duelist, his lips upon the others.  Mokuba stutters gaining the CEO’s attention.

 

“Big Brother?”

 

The CEO shoots up from the bed as if burned.  He falls back in his chair causing it to tip over backwards.  He sits on the floor his ocean blue eyes stare wide in embarrassment at the two newcomers.  This wasn’t going to go over well.  Maybe he could make up some excuse that didn’t involve kissing the blonde.  He takes a deep breath willing away the blush that threatens to grace his cheeks.

 

“I was just checking to see if he was awake.”

 

The teen boy places his hands on his hips raising an eyebrow.  The teen girl with him was doing the same matching action for action and expression for expression.  It was very scary and funny on how similar they looked that that moment.  There was no way they where buying that excuse.  They both stared accusingly at the older brunette.

 

“Really?  I don’t think you need to be that ‘close’ to see that.  I could have sworn I saw your lips upon his, brother.” 

 

The brunette girl turns to her comrade.

 

“Makes you wonder what he’s been doing all this time ‘alone’ don’t it?”

 

“I wasn’t doing anything of the sort, nor would I without permission!  So what did you two come here for?”  Unable to fend it of any longer a deep blush spreads across his facial features.

 

“Don’t you go changing the subject.  I want to know why you kissed my brother whom is unable to fight you off.”

 

 

He knew he shouldn’t have tried that method.  It didn’t even look like it worked in the first place, this wasn’t a fairy tail.  There was no happy ending without working for it.  First the stupid idea failed now he was going to get a lecture from the mutt’s sister.  What else could go wrong for the young CEO?

 

 

He had to ask too soon.  Just as he was gathering himself up off the ground his pants seemed to get caught upon the hospital bed.  He tried to remove them without causing any damage but that was a no go.  He could hear it already if his brother saw what he was wearing underneath his favorite pair of pants.  Why did he have to get them caught on the bed and rip them where his boxers could be shown to the world? 

 

The booming laughter of the youngest male in the room could be heard.  He stood there hunched over holding his stomach.  He pointed at his brother with tears of laughter in his eyes.  The brunette girl had to place a hand over her mouth to keep the giggles at bay.  The one on the reconvening end of the laughter just sent a stern glare there way.  How dare they laugh at him he was an important business figure!

 

“I don’t know what is so funny, mister!” 

 

Kaiba stands up to his full height from the ground trying to cover his boxers from the two.  Of all days he chose to wear the cursed things.  He was never again going to listen to his insane brain and try to play out a fairy tale.  They just don’t work and are not worth the outcome.

 

“Y-yes, yes there is.  You’re wearing boxers with puppies all over them!”  Mokuba roared out between laughs

 

“Fuck!”

 

“My virgin ears!”  Mokuba covers his ears mocking his brother.  There was no way he was going to let him live this down.  This was going to be nice blackmail to use for the future when there was something that he wanted.

 

“Shut it Mokuba!”  Kaiba sighs looking to the two youngsters.  “Please.”

 

Suddenly Mokuba freezes in place and looks up to his brother in shock.  Did he just hear what he thought he heard coming from his mouth?  There was no way was there?

 

“Did you just say ‘please’?”

 

“So what if I did.”  Seto shot back at his brother.

 

“But you never say please.  You always demand!”

 

Mokuba was right he never did say please at least not out loud.  Shizuka walks up to Kaiba and places her small female hand upon his shoulder.  She looks straight into his blue eyes with her hazel ones.  A smile dances on her face like the sun on a lake.  It must have been a while since the girl laughed.

 

“How’s my brother been doing?  No change?”

 

He hasn’t shown any signs of improvement or any signs of falling into a deeper coma.”  Kaiba shakes his head and pulls her into a light hug for a brief moment.

 

Shizuka returns the hug lightly and walks over to her brother placing a hand upon his own lifeless one.  She looks down at him with sad eyes.  A hit of hope could bee seen within them if you were to look closely.

 

“I don’t think we need to worry too much.  He’s a fighter and I know that he will pull though.  I bet you that any day now he will wake up and try to act as if nothing had happened.”

 

“How could you be so sure?”  Mokuba questions.

 

“Have you forgotten that I am his sister?  I know my brother like the back of my hand even if we haven’t seen each other much in the past few years.  We always wrote letter and called every weekend.  He’s my brother first and best friend second.  He always pulls through no matter how hard the situation is.”

 

Shizuka picks up the chair off the ground and sits down.  She squeezes her brother’s hand in her own.  She then turns her hazel eyes to Kaiba.

 

“Have you eaten anything today?”

 

“No.”  Kaiba answers truthfully.  For some reason he can’t bring himself to lie to the girl.  She was so much like Mokuba.

 

“Go get something to eat and change your pants unless you want the world to find out you like ‘puppies’.  Don’t worry about earlier; I won’t say anything to anyone your secret is safe with us.

 

Reluctantly Kaiba takes her advice and heads out the hospital room with his brother in toe.  His first destination was going to be home for a quick change of clothes and possibly a shower.  He would get something to eat after he had that taken care of.  He would pick up some Surge and pocky for the Mokuba.  He knew he would be regretting it later but he needed to bribe the kid.  Shizuka was right he didn’t want the world to see his boxers there would be gossip on the streets.  It was the price he paid for being the young handsome CEO of the multi-billion dollar company KaibaCorp.

 

Shizuka stayed back in the room watching her brother sleep.  She leaned her elbows upon the edge of the bed clasping her hands together.  With her head bowed she began to pray that he would wake up soon not only for her but Yuugi and Kaiba as well. 

 

She couldn’t see why her brother hated the elder Kaiba so much.  He couldn’t be as bad as he was made out to be.  He was the one helping pay the hospital bills.  He never left his side; he was always there unless school or work called for him.  He would come back as soon as possible when give he chance.

“You would have laughed brother if you saw what Kaiba was wearing today.  He had on the cutest puppy dog boxers I've ever seen.  I might try and find you a pair.”

 

She smiles for a fleeting moment at the thought.  Oh he would probably kill her if she did that.  He hated the dog jokes.  It was his own fault for acting like a cute little puppy, loyal and always there when needed.  She smile vanished when she remembered what the police told her earlier.

 

“What happened to you, Kat?  Wish you could tell me that dad wasn’t always like this.  I still can’t believe he would do this to you.”  Shizuka wondered out loud.

 

She was beginning to get scared for her brother.  They just found out earlier that if the blonde didn’t wake from his slumber his father would be released from custody.  There was no hard core evidence to keep him locked up behind bars.  They need solid evidence, a testimony from the victim.

 

If what everyone was saying was true about their father she was terrified.  She was terrified that he would come to the hospital and actually try to kill her brother.  There was no way she was going to allow that to happen.  Why did dad hate her brother so much?

 

She needed her big brother back.  She wanted to be there for him like he was there for her so many times in the past.  He helped her regain her eyesight by gathering the money needed to pay for the operation.  It was time that she returned the favor and gave him all the love and support that she could.  If she had to she would get permission to move out of their mother’s home.  She would move in with the Kaibas.  They had plenty of rooms to spare and Mokuba was there.  It was funny how the two found love in the same place.

 

In the mist of her thinking there was a knock on the door.  In walked a short man wearing a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck.  He was shorter than Yuugi only standing five feet tall.  He wore glasses that hide his tired blue eyes.  He looks towards Shizuka and smiles.

 

“Hello I am Dr. Yoko.  I will be in charge of Mr. Jounouchi while Dr.  Deija is away.”

 

Shizuka looks up to the short doctor and questions him.  Maybe he could tell her something about her brother.  She hoped that he could deliver good news.  Maybe news that he showed signs of waking soon.

 

“Hello, Dr. Yoko, I’m Kawai Shizuka Jounouchi’s sister.  Is there anything you can tell me about from brother?  Will he be waking up any time soon?”

 

“I’m afraid not, miss.  There hasn’t been any change in his current condition.   I can only say with certainty that there is a slime chance that he will ever wake up.  The longer he stays unconscious the slimmer the chance, I’m sorry.”

 

Shizuka sighs, she was afraid of that answer.  She looks up and directly at the doctor twiddling her thumbs nervously.  She wanted to know if there was anything she could do.  She missed her brother dearly.

 

“Is there anything I can do to help, anything to increase his odds?”

 

“I wish there was.  Only time will tell us what’s in store for him.  When and if he does awake there could be a lot of complications.  He’s going to need all the support he can get.”

 

Shizuka nods her head sadly.  She keeps her eyes down casted and looking towards her brother.  Could he please wake up soon?  She knew he was the one in need of help but she didn’t know how much more she could take seeing him like this.

 

Just as the doctor was turning to leave back out the room after checking the blonde’s vitals Mokuba and Kaiba appeared at the entrance.  Kaiba looked as if he got a nice warm shower.  His hair was still slightly damp and he worn a pair of black fitting boot cut jeans and his signature black long sleeve turtle neck.  Mokuba carried in his hands two bags labeled ‘Kokiden’.  They must have stopped at a Chinese restaurant on their way back to the hospital.

 

Kaiba looked between Shizuka and the doctor sensing that something was off in the room.  He could tell by her body posture that she was delivered some news that she didn’t like.  Mokuba walks ups to her placing a hand upon her shoulder.  She wipes her tears gently with her fist shaking her head.  Kaiba gives the doctor a questioning glance.

 

“Can I speak with you privately Mr. Kaiba?  There is something I would like to discuss.”  Dr. Yoko asks.

 

“Certainly.”

Kaiba follows the doctor out of the room leaving Shizuka and Mokuba behind.  Once they were just outside the doors to the waiting room Dr. Yoko turns to him.  He takes a deep breath.  He didn’t know how to exactly bring this up to the young billionaire but he knew he needed to.

 

“Mr. Kaiba I don’t mean to offend you or anything, but I believe that it’s all for naught.  I think it’s time to let him go.  I don’t see any signs of Mr. Jounouchi ever coming out of his coma.”

 

Kaiba’s eye twitches with anger.  What did the man mean it was all for naught.  There had to be some hope even if it was just a little.  Jounouchi would wake up and they’d all go back to the way things were with a few changes.  He was no allowed to return to that place he called a home.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I don’t see why you should be wasting your money on his medical bills while there is only a slim chance if any of him waking up.  I believe your money is best suited from something with more meaning and sustainability, like an orphanage.”

 

That had done it, Kaiba was fuming mad now.  He turned and glared at the doctor.  Dr. Yoko would be six feet under if looks could kill at that moment.  How could he have the nerve to suggest something like that?  If Kaiba could he would have the man’s job for the suggestion he mad.  No one told him what to do with his money or Jounouchi.  He was going to keep footing the bill until the blonde woke up.  There was no way he was going to ‘kill’ him if there was still a chance.

 

“I think you best keep your mouth shut.  I don’t take to kindly to others telling me what to do or to do with my money.  I will be comminuting to pay all his medical bills until I see fit otherwise.”

 

With that said Kaiba turned on his heels and headed back to room 2144.  He left a very embarrassed doctor behind in his wake.  He needed to get away from that doctor before he did something he would regret.  He needed to be here and not behind bars at the local jail house for murder.  If he could control himself from killing the ‘dog’s’ father he could do it for the doctor.  Oh it was hard not to hire someone to do the man in.  After all he did to his own son he deserved the same thing done upon him.

 

When Kaiba arrived back at the room he saw Mokuba sitting in the chair that was once his and then Shizuka’s.  The young brunette girl was curled up in his lab soaking his blue shirt with tears.  Mokuba was running a hand up and down her back trying to comfort her.  Kaiba smiled lightly, he was glad that Mokuba and Shizuka found something that they could find comfort in.  If only he had someone he could share his inner demons with.

 

Kaiba did find someone that he was willing to open up to, but it seemed that he took to long in confiding in him.  He was now lying in a hospital bed.  The doctors kept telling him that he might never wake up again.  He should have told him sooner how he felt.  He should have noticed these feelings sooner.  If so maybe just maybe Jounouchi would be here next to him at the mansion and not in some hospital room hooked up to all kinds of machines.

 

Smiling sadly at them, Kaiba walks over to the two young lovebirds comforting each other.  He moves between them and grabs the other chair in the room from the corner.  He places it on the other side of the bedside and sits down.  Just as Kaiba was about to say something to the two youngsters there is a soft groan or grunt.  Everyone looks up and to each other trying to figure out where the noise came from. 

 

Another groan sounds and all three sets of eyes turn to the bed.  They could have sworn they all heard the noise coming from the sleeping blonde.  That couldn’t be possible could it?  Didn’t the doctor just tell them that there was no chance of the blonde duelist every waking up?  Was he about to prove the ones with medical training all wrong?

 


	5. C is for Consciousness Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jounouchi has just woken up and everyone has come to visit and did Mokuba and Shizuka get into trouble?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I DON'T own Yu-Gi-Oh!
> 
> If anyone notices anything that needs fixing or changing drop me a PM
> 
> Apologies for any OOCness
> 
> Kaiba X Jounichi (Seto X Joey) Yoai do not like do not read.

Another groan sounds in the room as two honey brown eyes flutter open.  A pale tanned hand reaches up and rubs said honey eyes.  Blinking and squinting from the light in the room the blonde looks around the room seeing three familiar faces.  His eyes go wide when he notices who is in the room with him.  He tries to sit up in bed but he falls back closing his eyes tight in pain.  Mokuba, Shizuka, and Kaiba all stare at him unbelieving what there eyes told them.  They were all frozen in place from shock until he spoke.  He spoke with a raspy voice from days without use.

 

“S-Shizuka, Mokuba, K-K-Kaiba?  What the hell are you guys doing here?  Especially you?”

 

Jounouchi looked pointedly at Kaiba questioning.  Why were his arch enemy and rival here?  Speaking of which where the hell was he.  This place didn’t look at all familiar.  It smelt oddly of antiseptic and way to bright.  He closes his eyes draping an arm over them trying to shield out the bright light, it was giving him a headache.

 

“Where am I anyways?  This doesn’t look like Yuug’s.”

 

“K-KATSUYA!?”  Shizuka cries loudly.

 

She unlatches herself from Mokuba’s comforting arms.  She wraps her arms tightly around her brother’s neck crying into his chest.  Was he really awake now?  This wasn’t an illusion was it?  She better not has fallen asleep and was dreaming.  She wouldn’t be able to take it if that was the case.  It was only moments ago that the doctors told her that there was little to no chance of him ever coming around again.  This better not be some cruel joke.

 

“S-Shizu… C-can’t … br-breath…”

 

Jounouchi tries to tug his sister away from his neck.  He loved her and all but she was taking the wind out of him.  He felt like there was a ton of brick upon his chest.  Everything hurt all over and he couldn’t seem to remember why.  Did he get into a fight?  Was he mugged?  Was there a shooting of a bombing at school?  So many questions were running through his mind.

 

Hearing his pleas and weak voice from lack of oxygen Shizuka lifts herself up off her brother.  She wipes her eyes of her tears.  She leans back into Mokuba’s arms and he comes up behind her.  He wraps his arms around her in a warm embrace.

 

Jounouchi glares at Mokuba and stares at his arms wrapped around his beloved little sister.  He might be hurting right now feeling like he got hit by a freight train but no one touched his baby sister.  A growl escapes his throat as he glares daggers at the young Kaiba brother.  If he could get out of this bed he was in for it.

 

“Mokuba!?  Your ass is going to be grass in a minute if you don’t remove your hands from her.  I better get some answers soon.  And can someone please turn the lights off it is freaking bright in here.  My eyes are killing me.”

 

Mokuba gulps, he would be scares shitless if it wasn’t for the fact that the blonde couldn’t go through with his threat at the moment.  He keeps his arms around Shizuka but loosens them a bit. 

 

Shizuka wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt.

 

“I’m so glad you’re awake, big brother.  We were all worried sick that you would never wake up.”

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

“You’re in the hospital, Jounouchi.”  Mokuba states.

 

“Huh?”

 

Jounouchi blinks in confusion.  How did he get here?  And why was Kaiba here of all people? He directs his gaze to the tall CEO.  The man was not acting at all how he knew him.  He was completely out of character.  He was actually able to read emotions on his face.  Why did he look so sad?

 

“Why are you here?”

 

Jounouchi questions Kaiba as the man gets up and turns off half the light in the room.  He goes over and poor the blonde a drink of water.  He really sounded like he could use a drink, his voice was scratchy.  He hands the drink to Jounouchi to takes it greedily. 

 

“Jounouchi, what’s the last thing you remember?”  Kaiba asks him worried.  He prayed that he wasn’t suffering from amnesia.  If he was it was going to make things a lot harder than they needed to be.  He needed the blonde to remember some details so that they could press charges against his father.  If he wasn’t able to remember the whole case could be thrown right out the window and he wasn’t going to have that,

 

“I don’t remember…what I was coming …home… from Yuug’s.  Why? And please tell me why the fuck I am here?  What happened?”

 

“Is that all you remember?  Nothing else?”

 

Jounouchi shakes his head but immediately regrets it.  Man his head was killing him.  Hell his whole body was on fire.  He guessed he had a few broken ribs.  His right arm must have been broken too since it was in plaster same with his right ankle.  Kaiba looks to him worried.  Things weren’t looking good.

 

“You’ve been a coma for the past two weeks.”

 

“WHAT!?”  Jounouchi screams.

 

How could he have been out for two whole weeks?  His father was going to kill him when he got home.  What the hell happened to cause him to go into a coma, for two weeks at that?  He was never at the hospital that long.  Longest he was there was a day for a concussion and that was years ago.  He managed all his broken bones at home if he could.

 

Jounouchi tries to get up, up from the bed.  He sits up ignoring the pain coursing though his body.  He swings his legs over the side of the bed and proceeds to try and rip the IVs out of his arm.  He needed to get home and fast.  If he was gone any longer who knew what was going to happen.  Before he could get any father Kaiba grabs his hands and stop him.  He looks at him dead in the eye.

 

“I found your father beating you.”

 

“A…um… w-what are you t-talking about?  My dad has done no such thing.”

 

Jounouchi sits there at the edge of the bed and tries to swallow the lump in his throat.  There was no way he was going to admit the truth to Kaiba.  What went on behind the doors of his apartment where going to stay there.  Thinking though why couldn’t he remember his father beating him this bad?  He was most likely the cause as to why he was here in the first place,

 

Sighing Kaiba gently pushes the blonde back down on the bed.  He pulls the covers back up to his waist.  He sits down on the edge and places a warm hand upon the others.  He gently squeezes the hand underneath his.

 

“I know you’re lying, Jounouchi.  I had seen it with my own eyes. Don’t ask me why I was in your part of town I couldn’t tell you.

 

Taking his hand from above the others he firmly grasp Jounouchi’s chin in a gentle embrace.  He pulls him to look at him.  His blue eyes stare down into the soul capturing honey.  He gently rubs his thumb across his jaw line trying to comfort the blonde into telling him the truth.

 

“You’re father is in custody at the moment so you don’t need to fear him.  Can you please tell me what you remember from Thursday night after you got home from Mutou's?”  Kaiba asks him concern lacing his every word.

 

“No.”

 

“Please.”

 

“I can't, Kaiba.  I don’t even remember what happened.  All I know is I came home from Yuug’s and he was there.  Everything is blank after that.”

 

Kaiba looks away removing his hand from the blonde.  Things were going to be very hard.  Maybe he could get Jounouchi to remember something if he could get him to trust him.  Kaiba turns his gaze to Mokuba and Shizuka.  Can see in there eyes that there is something that he needs to tell Jounouchi.  Was now really the time to tell him?

 

Sighing Shizuka gets up out of Mokuba’s embrace and walks over to her brother and the elder Kaiba.  She places a hand on Kaiba’s shoulder and looks at her brother.  She smiles warmly at her brother.  She was so thrilled that he woke up; inside she was jumping for joy.  It didn’t seem all that real though.

 

“Big brother, I need to borrow Kaiba for a moment.  You think you will be alright by yourself?  I will get the doctor as well.  They will want to know that you are awake.”

 

Jounouchi nods to his sister.  That’s right he was in the hospital.  He would have to go through all the test and scans to make sure everything was alright.  Maybe they would give him a clean bill of health and send him on his way with a pair of crutches.  Why did Shizuka want to speak with Kaiba anyways? 

 

Shizuka kisses Jounouchi on the forehead in a loving sibling way.  She heads towards the door ushering Mokuba and Kaiba to follow her.  Kaiba reluctantly follows her outside the room.  So many questions were flying through his mind.

 

Once out side the room and out for Jounouchi’s ear shot she turns to Kaiba.

 

“I think you need to tell him.”

 

“Tell him what?”

 

“You know what I am getting at and I don’t mean telling him about what happened.  God forbid me if you mention to him that he was r…r…”

 

Shizuka looks to Kaiba with tears in her eyes and anger written on her face.  There was no way she was going to allow someone to tell her brother that he was raped.  Sure he needed to know about it but it could be very damaging.  It was better that he remembered it on his own that being told about it. 

 

“I would never do that.”

 

 

“I want you to tell him how you feel.  Don’t try to hide your feelings anymore.  Mokuba and I know very well how you feel about my brother.  I don’t think he will shoo you away.  I believe deep done he feels the same way as you do.  What he needs most now is someone there for him, someone loving him and not in a sibling kind of way.  There is only so much that I can do.”

 

“She’s right, Seto.  It’s now of never.  You can’t always keep your emotion bottled up inside.”  Mokuba places a hand upon his brother’s shoulder.

 

“I’m not even entirely sure how I feel about him myself.”

 

“Just go in there, Seto.  I need to inform the nurses and doctors that he is awake.  I don’t think they will believe me at first so you should have some time.”

 

“Go.”

 

With that Shizuka puts up a brave front and shoves Kaiba back into the room.  Kaiba stumbles into the room almost falling on his face from the sudden push.  She steadies himself on his feet and looks to the bed.  Jounouchi stares back at him puzzled and amused.  To think that his sister could get under his skin it was kind of funny.  He wondered what his sister had said to the CEO.  A light blush was spreading across his cheeks.

 

Placing a closed fist over his mouth, Kaiba clears his throat.  He takes a deep breath and walks over to Jounouchi.  He pulls a chair up to the bedside and sits down.  Taking one of his hands into his own he looks down for a moment gathers his courage.

 

“Kaiba?”

 

“There’s something that I need to tell you.  Mokuba and your sister thought it best that I tell you now.  I don’t even know where to begin.  I’m not entirely sure how I feel, but I think they are right.  You need to know.  First I want to say that I am sorry for how I have treated you in the past.”

 

Jounouchi looks to Kaiba puzzled.  What was he getting at?  Why were these things so hard to get out?  Was Kaiba admitting defeat?

 

“Stop beating around the bush and out with it already.  You’re already acting really strange.  I’m about to think that this is all some weird dream.  The Kaiba I know is never this timid he always voices what on his mind.  Do I need to deck you in the head or something?  Knock those marbles back into place?  Believe me I’ll do it.”  Jounouchi cracks his knuckles on his left hand for affect.

 

“Jounouchi, can you please be quite for a moment.  I’m trying to get something off my chest.  This isn’t easy you know.”

 

“Sorry, continue.  It’s not like I have anything better to do till the doctors get here and release me.”

 

Kaiba sends a glare Jounouchi’s way.  Why did he always get under his skin?  Was he even sure he felt that way about him?

 

“I’m not perfect in anyway I know.”

 

“No shit Sherlock I could have told you that a long time ago.”

 

Kaiba gives him a pointed look.  Didn’t he tell him seconds ago to keep his trap shut?  Was he always trying to start a fight? Maybe he needed to shave a few layers off that thick skull of his.  At this rate he wasn’t going to get anywhere if at all.

 

“Sorry.  I’m not perfect either I can’t keep my mouth shut.  You should know that already. Well, unless there is food around then I can.  I’ll be to busy stuffing my face to say anything.  Hmm… food sounds good.  I could go for a nice big juicy burger…”  Jounouchi licks his lips beginning to salivate at the thought.  He felt starved.

 

“God damn it!  Jounouchi, I’m about to give up in a minute and say fuck it.  Is all you care about food?”

 

Kaiba sighs and places his head in the palm of his hand.  He shakes his head in aggravation.  When will the dog ever learn to keep his trap shut and listen?  He needed a new master to retrain him.  Kaiba just knew the perfect one for the job, him.

 

“Um… maybe?”  Jounouchi shrugs his shoulders and immediately winces in pain.  That wasn’t a good idea he needed to remember he wasn’t in good condition at the moment.  “I really could go for that burger now.  Oh or maybe a pepperoni pizza.  Yes that’s sounds even better, pizzzzzzzzzzzzza…”

 

“Mutt, you’re fucking impossible!  Will you shut the hell up?”

 

With that being said Kaiba couldn’t take it anymore so he did the only thing he could think of to shut the dog’s trap. Kaiba closes his eyes and places his right hand on Jounouchi’s chin and pulls him into a soft kiss.  Yes this definitely shut him up.  He couldn’t move his mouth to form any words when they were sealed in a kiss.  Kaiba could feel this kiss much more that he was awake. 

 

Jounouchi’s eyes go wide as Kaiba pulls him into a tender emotion filled kiss.  He could feel warmth radiating from the other male.  This couldn’t be happening.  Didn’t Kaiba hate his guts?  This felt so right though.  How could something so wrong feel so right?  It felt like a dream come true and if it was all a dream he didn’t ever want to wake up.

 

Jounouchi slowly closes his eyes and leans into the kiss.  It was all over way too soon for his liking.  He looks up to Kaiba with hazed eyes.  A bush apparent upon both there faces.  He wanted answers but he couldn’t speak, he was too shocked to say anything.

 

“Can I talk now?”

 

Jounouchi nods in agreement afraid of his own voice.

 

“Good.”  Kaiba clears his throat, closes his eyes for a brief moment taking a deep breath.  “Like I said I'm not perfect.  There are many things I wish I hadn’t done.  I never meant to put you down.  I admit I got a kick out of our fights.  You were the only one that would stand up to me, treat me like we were on equal grounds.  Thanks to you I’ve found a reason for me to change to start over.  I regret all the things I have done in the past.  I have to live with them and learn from them.  If you’re willing I'd like to show you a side of me that you never knew, a side not even Mokuba knows about.”

 

“What are you getting at, Kaiba?”

 

“What I am trying to say is I like you, Jounouchi.  And I don’t mean in a friendship kind of way.  If that offends you I will leave and never show my face around you again.”

 

Jounouchi blinks trying to process this new information.  Did Kaiba just admit to being gay?  Did he admit to liking him a worthless failure?  The kind of like that ended up a romantic relationship?  What had changed in these few weeks?  Kaiba was almost like a different person.

 

Jounouchi places a hand over his mouth and looks down at the bed a deep red blush forming across his face.  So many thoughts were flowing through his head.  He didn’t know what to believe.  Could he really be loved?  Didn’t his father always tell him he would never be loved or worth anything?

 

“K-Kaiba, this isn’t some kind of joke is it.”

 

“I don’t joke.  You should know that by now.  I’m serious here.”

 

Kaiba gets up out of the chair and sits down on the bed next to the blonde.  He places his arm around his waist gently and pulls him close into a warm embrace.  Jounouchi lays his head on his chest.  He could hear the rapid heartbeat of the other it sounded so nervous.  He must have been telling the truth.  He nuzzles his nose into his chest as Kaiba leans his upon his blonde locks.  Everything felt so right at that moment in time.

 

“Why me, Kaiba?  I don’t get why you’d choose me when you have the pick of the litter?”

 

“I’m not sure.  I guess you could say you remind me a lot of myself.  We have more in common than either of would have thought.  Though in some circumstances, things were a little different for us.”

 

Jounouchi pulls away and looks up to Kaiba.

 

“When did hate turn to ‘love’?  I always thought you hated my guts?”

 

“I could say the same for you.  I came to realize a few things about myself when I found you and when you where in a coma.  I had a little help on the way from two little imps.”

 

Jounouchi then quirks an eyebrow at Kaiba in puzzlement. Who could he be talking about?  Better yet what happened to him?  He wanted answers.  Did his father go to fart and try to kill him? Was that why he was in the hospital in a coma for two weeks?  She squeezes his eyes shut tight.  When would his head stop killing him it was pounding?

 

He goes and places his left hand upon his temple and forehead and tries to rub the headache away.  Kaiba looks to him worried and pulls him closer.  Where was the doctor?  It was apparent that Jounouchi needed to be checked over.  Shouldn’t they have been alerted by now?

 

Just then there was a knock at the door and in popped two very hyper and happy teens.  Two sets of eyes look to the door and freeze.  They weren’t in a very good position to be found in Jounouchi’s head was nuzzled into Kaiba’s lower stomach.  Kaiba had his hand upon the others head running his fingers through this hair.

 

“Big brother!?”  The two question in unison.

 

“What are you two doing?  We told you to confess your feeling not make a move on him!  He just woke up for crying out loud!”  Mokuba yells.

 

He walks up to his brother and decks him in the head.  The elder Kaiba blushes even deeper red.  They were doing nothing of the sort.  Jounouchi buries his head further into Kaiba’s stomach. He wanted the headache to just go away; Mokuba’s loud voice wasn’t helping matters.

 

“Can you please keep it down?”  Jounouchi says weakly muffled from his face being buried.

 

“Jounouchi?”  Kaiba and Mokuba both look worried to the young blonde. 

 

“Mokuba, Shizuka, is the doctor on his way?”

 

“Just a headache.”  Jounouchi groans.

 

Shizuka nods and walks over to her brother and Kaiba.  He places a hand on his back and gently rubs it trying to comfort him the best she could.

 

“He will be here shortly.  Mokuba and I informed the others and they are on their way.  Yuugi sounded really thrilled.  He wouldn’t let me finish before hanging up saying he’d be right over.”

 

A light knock sounds at the door gaining everyone attention.  In walked a familiar face to Kaiba.  A short plump Japanese man with short black hair and facial hair surround his mouth walked in followed by a short gorgeous nurse. 

 

“I didn’t believe Mr. Kaiba Mokuba for a second there when he said our young Mr. Jounouchi had woken up.  I will need to check him over.  If you would all kindly leave while I do so.”

 

 

The doctor walks over to the blonde followed by the nurse.  It was miracle that he had woken up.  He even seemed very alert which was rare.  What worried him was the simple fact that he had his head buried into Mr. Kaiba.  Mokuba and Shizuka follow the doctor’s orders and head to walk out the room.  Kaiba looks up to the man not wanting to leave.  Reluctantly Jounouchi lets go of Kaiba.  He looks up to him and nods lightly with closed eyes. 

“I’ll be fine.  It’s only a headache.”

 

“Alright, I’ll be back with everyone else later once the doctor clears you.”

 

Kaiba gets up from the bed and leans down places a faint kiss on Jounouchi’s forehead.  He smiles lightly and meets Mokuba and Shizuka at the door.  All three of the head out and to the waiting room, they mind as well wait for the ‘Yuugi-dachi’ to arrive.

 

Once the three were out of the room Dr. Deija looks to his patient with amazement.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“Like I got hit by a freight train.  Could you please turn the lights off?  I have the worst kind of headache coming on.”

 

“That’s not uncommon for someone waking up from a coma that resulted in trauma to the head.  Do you remember anything that happened?  Anything at all?’

 

“No.  It’s all a little fuzzy.”

 

 

The doctor sighs.  It looked as if he was suffering from a cause of amnesia.  With the help of his nurse Dr. Deija examines his patient.  They give him a clean sponge a bath, which embarrasses the blonde to no end to have someone else clean him.  He didn’t have much of a choice since he was ‘disabled’ in a way.  He was given some pain meds to help lessen his headache.

 

* * *

 

In the waiting room Mokuba and Shizuka waited for their friends to arrive, while Kaiba waited outside Jounouchi’s room.  Not even forty minutes later they see a blur of red, black, and yellow heading their way.  The blur latched it’s self onto Mokuba.  Wide amethyst eyes looked into blue, they were wild with exuberance.

 

 

“Is he really awake?”

 

“Yes Yuugi.  He just woke up.”

 

Mokuba tries to detach the number one duelist from his being.  It looked like Yuugi took a 180 when he found out his best friend had woken up.  Instead of the dull lifeless face they had grown to see that past few weeks there was the normal bright smiling face once more.

 

“Can we go see him?”

 

“We have to wait till the doctor calls us back in.  They are checking him over.  Seto stayed behind so he could call me when they allow visitors back into the room.”

 

“Why should we trust him?  I think I will go up there myself and check things out.  Sorry Mokuba, but I still don’t trust your brother.  Kaiba was always an ass to Jou.”  A brunette with pointed hair voices as he walks into the room.

 

A brown hair girls walks up to the pointed haired man.  She crosses her hands over her large bosom and gives him a pointed look.  An arctic haired man stands next to her having just arrived.

 

“Honda, if Kaiba didn’t care for Jounouchi he wouldn’t be here right now and you know that” Voices the girl.

 

                “Anzu’s right you know.  I’ve never seen my brother act this way before.  If you want to go up there and wait as well you can.  Just promise me that you won’t start a fight with him.  I don’t want Jounouchi to see you guys fighting.”

 

                “Whatever.”

 

                With that said Honda takes off towards the elevator to keep Kaiba ‘company’.  Sure the CEO   friend and was even footing the bill, but that didn’t mean he had to like the man.  After everything he had done in the past he wasn’t going to be so forgiving.  For all he knew it could have been an act so he could finish the job himself.  Before he ever would let that happen he would protect his friend.

 

When Honda arrived one the floor to Jounouchi’s room he couldn’t see the tall brunette anywhere.  He continued down the hall towards room 2144.  When he arrived there he didn’t even see him standing outside the room. Where could the CEO have gone?  He better not have gone into the room and tried to kill Jounouchi.

 

Clutches his hands into fist at his sides he storms silently towards Jounouchi’s’ room.  When he reaches the closed door he could hear voices coming from the inside.  It didn’t sound like the doctor or nurse talking.  He could have sworn he heard those two voices before.  One sounded very familiar and the other was a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time.  It sounded just like Jounouchi and Kaiba arguing. Growling Honda throws the door open and his eyes go wide.

 

“What the hell?”

 

                Honda stands in the door way frozen in place from shock, all colored drained from his face.  He wasn’t seeing what he thought he was seeing.  There was no way that his best friend was awake in bed and what the fuck?  Why were Kaiba’s arms around him and his lips upon his?  The bastard was going to pay.  He had a feeling that Kaiba swung that way. 

 

                “Kaiba?”  He growls out.

 

                Kaiba and Jounouchi break apart deep blushes on their faces.  Kaiba takes a deep breath and steadies himself.  He looks straight at Honda.  Jounouchi looks to him friend blushing.  This wasn’t looking good.  No one knew that he was gay.  He didn’t know how they were going to handle it.  One minute they were all told he was awake, and the next Honda had to see him kiss his once enemy.  He prayed Honda wouldn’t go ballistic over it or homophobic.

 

“What the fuck are you doing?”

 

“Good to see you too, Honda.  I thought you’d be happier to see little old me.”

 

“I wasn’t talking to you I was talking to him.  He better not has forced you or I’m going to kick his ass.”

 

Kaiba gets up from the bed and walks over to the fuming brunette.  He places a hand on his shoulder.

 

“No one forced anyone.  Now if you excuse me I’ll inform the others they can visit.  I’ll leave you too to catching up.”

 

Honda watches Kaiba leave the room heading down the hall.  He looks to his best friend with a questioning look.  He had a lot of explaining to do.  He didn’t care if he just woke up or not.  They told each other everything.  At least he thought that was the case.  He knew he was on bad terms with his father but didn’t know to what extent.  And now this Jounouchi appeared to be gay and with Kaiba of all people.  Did he always ridicule him and put him down?  How can you like someone like that?

 

“Jou, you care to inform me of what’s going on?  Oh, to hell with it.” 

 

Honda runs from the door and grabs his buddy in a tight hug. He had missed him too much he didn’t care at the moment what was really going on.  He was just glad that he was back with everyone in the land of the living.

 

“I’m glad to see you again.  Don’t ever pull that shit on me again of I’ll kill you myself.”

 

“C-can’t… breathe…”

 

Jounouchi tries to push his friend away the best he could with his good arm.  He must have lost a lot of strength being out for two weeks and all.  Honda releases his grip on him and sits down in the chair next to the bed.  They had a lot of catching up to do.

 

“Sorry, man.  I just missed you.  We were all starting to think that you might never come around again.  Just glad to see you back with us and the same old Jounouchi.”

 

“I can’t say the same for you.  What did I miss while I was out?  You get yourself a girlfriend or something?”  Snickered Jounouchi.

 

Jounouchi leans over in the bed and pokes at Honda’s neck.  Just above his shirt collar you could see a faint purple bruise forming.  This action causes Honda to bust out in a deep red blush.  He pulls his shirt collar up higher trying to hide the kiss mark.  He scratches his head with his hand and looks down in awkwardness.

 

“Well, you see…  I kind of realized how I felt about someone and confessed.”

 

“The Hell!  You actually landed a girl!? Do I know them?”

 

Before Honda could answer the door to the room opens once more and in walk the ‘Yuugi-dachi’, Shizuka, Mokuba, and Kaiba.  Yuugi runs up to his best friend beaming brightly and gives him a quick hug.  The brunette girl, Anzu, walks up to Honda and hits him lightly on the back of the head.

 

“Hiroto, don’t over excite him!  He needs to recover!”

 

The blonde duelist looks between the two brunettes.  Did Anzu just call him by his first name?  Oh hell no.  The wheels where beginning to turn as he was putting the pieces together.  Did the two of them actually hook up together?  Wasn’t Anzu infatuated with Atem?  Last time he checked she was head over heels for the Pharaoh.  What the hell did he miss?

 

“Honda, don’t tell me you and Anzu…  Who the hell would have thought?  So how the fuck did it happen?”

 

“Glad to see you’re still the same Jounouchi we all know.  You could have lost that potty mouth.”

 

“Who cares about that?  I want details.”

 

Anzu laughs and gives him a light peck on the cheek before taking a seat in Honda’s lap.  Honda wraps him arms around her waist bringing her close.  He rests his head on her shoulder and looks at his friend.

 

“Good to see you too, Jou.”  Answers Anzu.  “You missed a few things while you were out.  Some of which I am glad you didn’t have to see.”

 

 She directs her gaze over to Yuugi.  There was no way she was going to tell Jounouchi about what happened with Yuugi.  He didn’t know that one of his best friends went into a depression when he found out what had happened.  He needed to focus on himself and recover fist before he was bombarded with depressing details.

 

“Come one tell me. Details. Details.”

 

“We just realized who we really had eyes for.  That is all” Speaks Honda.

 

“Boring~ I’ll get some answers sooner or later.”

 

Jounouchi sends a wink at Honda a huge grin spreading across his face.  He knew Honda would tell him all the juicy bites when Anzu wasn’t around.  He still couldn’t wrap it around his head.  Too much thinking it was making his head hurt.  He turns his attention on Bakura and Otogi.

 

“Anything new with you guys?  Don’t tell me you have dates now too.”

 

“I would have had one if she wasn’t stolen from me by a pip squeak” Vents Otogi while he sends a glare at Mokuba.

 

“Who you calling pipsqueak, Dice-man?  I didn’t steal anyone.”

 

“Woo, wait a minute. What the hell is going on now?  No one better have laid a fucking hand on my baby sister or so help me God when I get out of this bed”  growls Jounouchi as he tries to move out of bed.

 

Oh he was pissed now.  Who the hell thought they had the right to make a move on his baby sister, no one. He was glad when he just found out that Honda and Anzu was a couple.  That meant one less person he had to try and chase away from his sister.  Now he had Mokuba added into the mix.  That shit wasn’t going to fly.

 

“Calm down, brother.  I am old enough now to make decisions for myself.  I am 15 years old I’m not a baby anymore.”

 

“Bullshit!  You’ll always be my little sister!  No explain this to me.  What is going on with Mokuba and you?  And don’t you dare beat around the bush like Honda and Anzu over there.  I won’t back down till I have answers.”

 

 

Shizuka rolls her eyes at him.  When would he ever learn she didn’t need to be protected forever?  She was a young woman now old enough to make her own choices.  She places her hands on her hips and stares at her big brother.

 

“Language!  I think you need to calm down.  You just woke up and all.  Maybe we should all come back tomorrow when you’ve have a full nights rest.  I don’t want you over working yourself.”

 

“Don’t you talk to me about language!  I want answers damn it!  I don’t want to have to beat Kaiba’s little brother to a pummel” fumes Jounouchi.

 

 

Just then the door to the room opened again.  An Egyptian male with blonde hair and tan skin walked into the room.  He could feel that something was off.  He had just heard of what had happened to the blonde duelist and was curious as to what his condition was.  He decided to pay a visit to him I the hospital since he was here on business with his sister and Rishid for the museum.

 

“Great and now Britney Spears has decided to join the group!  You better not be after my sister too!  So help me God I will get out of this bed and beat the shit out of you!”

 

“Jounouchi calm down!  No one is after your sister.”

 

Kaiba smoothly pushes Jounouchi bad don on the bed.  There was no way he was going to let him get himself hurt even worse than he already was.  It was beyond him how he was able to move as much as he was at the moment.  What did the doctors give him for pain?  It was like he wasn’t suffering from it at all.

 

“Shove it, Kaiba.  Let me at him I don’t care if he is your brother or not.”

 

“Will you shut up?  No one is harming anyone in this room.  Mokuba and Shizuka just found solace in each other’s company.  I don’t even know if they are dating or not… for sure…” Kaiba looks over to the two younger siblings questioningly.  He then gives Otogi a pointed look.  “For all we know Otogi could just be spreading a rumor.”

 

“Fine, I give for now since I have a headache coming back.  I want answers tomorrow though from Mokuba and Shizuka” Sighs Jounouchi.

 

Marik walks over to Bakura and Otogi and whispers to them.

 

“Why’d I get compared to that whore? And what did I miss?”

 

“I just told him that Mokuba took Shizuka from me” Otogi answers.

 

“Oh.  Wait, what!?”

 

Before Marik was able to receive an answer, a nurse walks into the room.  She smiles brightly to everyone in the room.  She clears her throat to get everyone’s attention.

 

“I regret to inform you all, but visiting hours are over.  Mr. Jounouchi needs some rest.  You all can come back in the morning.”

 

Everyone goes up to the blonde and say’s their goodbyes and promises of coming tomorrow to visit, this time much longer.  Jounouchi looks to his sister and the younger Kaiba and tells them they better have a straight answer for him when they return.  He wanted to know what was going on between the two of them.  He knew Shizuka was old enough to make her own choices, but he couldn’t help it.  It was the big brother in him wanting to protect her.  He promised himself that he would behave no matter what the outcome may be.

 

The last one to leave the room is Kaiba.  He lingers behind not wanting to leave the blonde, not after he had woken up.  They had so much to talk about.  There was so much he had to say and do and not enough time.  He knew Jounouchi needed his rest, but he wanted to stay.  Maybe the nurse would allow him to stay the night like they had when the blonde was comatose?

 

Kaiba sits down on the edge of the hospital bed and looks to the other male.  He smiles lightly and cups his face in the palm of his hand.  His eyes slowly close as do the others as he leans down and places a light kiss upon his lips.  Jounouchi smiles into the kiss and pulls Kaiba closer the best he could with one arm.  They suddenly both hear was sounded eerily like Anzu and Mokuba saying ‘awe’ and then a click and a flash.

 

Kaiba pulls away from the blonde and looks to the doorway of the room with narrowed eyes.  Mokuba was going to be lucky if he had a chance to give the blonde answer to tomorrow if he didn’t hand over that camera.  The young Kaiba was going to be D.E.A.D.  if he didn’t.  Kaiba walks over to the doorway and the three lingerers.  He holds out his hand to Mokuba in a silent command.

 

“Yes, Seto?  Was there something you wanted?”

 

“You know very well what I want, Mokuba.  If you don’t hand it over right now I am grounding you, no TV of Video Games for a month.”  He turns and looks pointedly at the girls.  “And you two I’d expect better.”

 

                “I don’t know what you are talking about.  Did I have a camera Anzu?”  Mokuba looks over to Anzu all the while trying to hand the camera off to Shizuka without being seen.  He so wanted that picture for blackmail later and they looked so cute together he couldn’t resist.

 

“I don’t believe you did.”

 

“Mokuba, I’m warning you.  I can clearly tell what you just did.”  Kaiba turns to Shizuka and holds out his and.  He gives her the sweetest smile he could mustard which causes her to cave in.

 

“S-sorry…”  Shizuka says while blushing.  She reluctantly hands the camera over to the elder brother.

 

“Thank you, I will be keeping this.”

 

Kaiba pockets the camera with a silent reminder to himself to get the picture developed later for his wallet.  Her secretly wonder what else Mokuba could have on the thing.  There was no telling what the kid did in his free time.  He could be a little devil at times.  Kaiba was proud of him for what he could do and scared at the same time.

“I hope there is nothing on here that you didn’t want me to see.  If so speak now of forever hold your peace.”

 

  Mokuba and Shizuka turn away from Kaiba with deep blushes on their check.  No one dares to say anything about what could be on the camera.  Kaiba was more than curious now to what they could be hiding.  He would leave it to later to figure it out.

 

Jounouchi speaks up from the bed calling to the door to the room a light blush on his cheeks.

 

“Kaiba, you staying?”

 

Kaiba looks to the nurse who silently nods that he is allowed to stay the night.  Kaiba gives Mokuba quick hug and sees him, Shizuka, and Anzu off before returning to the room.  Once back in the room he goes to pulls the chair out next to the bed that folds out into a small bed.

 

“Thank you, but why do you stay?”

 

“Because I do and I don’t want anything else to happen to you.”

 

Kaiba lays down on the chair ‘bed’ and turns out the lights to the room only leave one on by the door.  He holds his hand out for Jounouchi to hold.  Jounouchi grabs a hold of his hand in a silent confirmation that he needed the comfort.  He wouldn’t admit it out loud but he was scared and having Kaiba there helped him a lot.  They both drift off into slumber.  Who knows what tomorrow may bring with it.  There was going to be a lot of questions asked and answers needing told.


	6. O is for Openness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba opens up to Jounouchi about his past.

As the sun rose in the sky bringing about a new day a young blonde haired man was beginning to stir.  He slowly opens his honey coloured eyes and looks out to the world.  A smile adorns his facial features as his eyes lay upon his company.  It all felt surreal.  Must of, had to of been dreaming.  There was no way that ‘he' of all people would be there.  It was near impossible, but he didn't know what was what anymore.  So much had changed in such a short span of time.

 

With his free working hand he reaches over and runs his fingers trough the others brown tresses.  Oh, how they felt like silk running through his fingers.  He didn't want to wake up if this was all a dream.  His action causes the other to stir in their sleep.  Soon ocean bright blue eyes look up sleepily into swirling golden honey.  A smile graces the others face as he looks up to the blonde.

 

“Good Morning, Mutt” the brunette smirks as he greets the other.

 

“Already, this morning?  And here I thought we got past that.”

 

“Old habits die hard.  How you feeling?”

 

The brunette sits up in his makeshift bed and stretches his long legs and arms popping the joints to loosen them.   The blonde sighs and tries to sit up in his bed.  He still felt sore but not as bad as the day before.  It might have been the morphine talking that was slowly dripping into his arm through an IV.  Before he can answer a low grumbling sound is heard.  He laughs lightly looking down to his stomach as the brunette quirks and eyebrow.

 

“Better, but guess I'm hungry?  What kind of grub do they have in this place?  I could go for a good American breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast.”

 

“Silly puppy, I think you better what on that kind of food.  They might want to put you on a liquid diet for a few days.  You were unable to feed yourself for two weeks you know ‘Kaiba says as he ruffles the others hair which earns him a glare.

 

“That's a new one ‘Puppy'?  Really?  And I'll eat what I want they can't stop me.”

 

“We'll see about that.  I'll get a nurse in and let them know that the dog is begging for his breakfast.”

 

“ASS!”

 

Kaiba gets up from his bed laughing and straightens his clothes.  He makes his way to the door dodging a pillow that was thrown in his direction.  The ‘dog' had good aim even if he was using one hand and was injured.  If it wasn't for his refluxes he was sure it would have connected.

 

After what seemed like an eternity to Jounouchi, Kaiba finally returned back to the room.  In his hands he was carrying two large trays that where covered by a bowl.  How he did it Jounouchi didn't know.  If it was him he was sure he would have tripped and spilled one of the dishes if not both.  He sets one tray down onto a table that he wheeled over to the bed for the blonde.   The other tray he set down on his mach shift bed.

 

“Breakfast is served.”

 

Jounouchi lifts the cover of is dish and raises an eyebrow.  Well one of his questions was answered.  He would have to make do with his meal because he was starving.  Besides how could one go wrong with cup of Jell-O?  His breakfast course consisted of prune juice -Kaiba was going to pay for that later- strawberry Jell-O, bowl of gelatin, and a cup of green tea.

 

Turning to look to see what the brunette got for himself he growls at the other.  The bastard had to go and rub it in his face that he wasn't allowed a solid meal.  He had a place of scrambled eggs, cup of black coffee, 3 slices of bacon, 2 pieces of toast, and a small bowl of raisin and cinnamon oatmeal.  Where did he put it all?  They guy was a bean pole.  Jounouchi could have sworn all he had was coffee to drink, guess he was wrong.

 

“Had to rub it in did you?  You going to share some of that with me?”

 

“No, sorry no can do.  The doctor said you had to be on a clear liquid diet for a few days, so your stuck” Kaiba smiles.  “Hmmm... this bacon is delicious.”

 

Kaiba takes a bite of his bacon making sure to exaggerate as he was eating.  What harm was it to mess with the blonde?  He got a kick out of getting the other riled up.  He could see Jounouchi glaring daggers at him as he started to eat his breakfast -if it could be called that.  Jounouchi tried his best to make it seem like it was the best meal in the world.  There was no way he was going to let Kaiba one up him.  It wasn't all that bad anyways.  It was more than he was use to getting for breakfast.

 

Kaiba looks up from his meal and to Jounouchi.  He wanted to ask if he remembered anything after getting a full nights rest.   He didn't know how to bring it up.  Sighing he places hi fork down.

 

“You know, Kaiba, I never thought we'd be here like this.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Getting along.  I thought all we ever did and would do was fight.  You do have a stick up your ass.”

 

“Jounouchi” Kaiba growls out.

 

“Sorry, sorry no offense but it seems like it all the time.  You can be a real asshole.  I'm sure you have some demons in your past that made you that way.  We all saw how Kaiba Gozaburo was.”

 

“I hate to admit it but you only saw the surface of it all.  There is a lot more to it than what you all had seen” Kaiba sighs as he finishes his meal.  “On a different note, do you remember anything?  Or care to tell me what's really been going on?  I won't judge you”

 

Jounouchi heaves a heavy sigh and pushes his food away.  He knew he was going to be asked sooner than later.  He wasn't ready to tell anyone yet, but the police would be by eventually and ask questions.  He did ant the man he called ‘father' to be behind bars, but at the same time he still loved the man.  Besides what was he to tell anyone when he couldn't remember hat landed him in the hospital, let a lone a coma for two weeks.  He must have suffered some heavy damage to the head.

 

“I still don't know how I ended up here and I'm not really ready to talk... I'm sorry.  There's just too much.” Jounouchi shakes his head and looks down causing his blonde bangs to cover his sad eyes.

 

“That's alright.”

 

Kaiba picks up their dishes and sets them on the moveable table for the hospital help to come by and get them later.  He wondered if he should open up and show the blonde that he trusted him.  Could telling him things he hasn't told anyone not even his own brother get the blonde to talk?  Could it show him that he had trust in the duelist?

 

With a sigh Kaiba walks back over to the fair-haired man and sits down on the edge of the bed.  He looks down at his hands as he folds them in his lap thinking.  He wanted the other man to trust him and opening up seemed like the best option for that.  He wasn't fully ready to let some of his demons out but he needed to.  It would be beneficial to both of them he hated to admit.

 

“What's eating you, Kaiba?” 

 

Jounouchi places his good hand over Kaiba's and looks to him worried.  He never had seen the man look so un-composed before.  He didn't know if he should be surprised or not.  A lot seemed to have changed between them in just a short span of time.

 

“Jounouchi, you may not believe me but I do have an idea on what you have been going through.  It wasn't the same situation as you, but none the less similar.”

 

“What do you mean?”  Jounouchi looks to the other puzzled.

 

“This isn't easy for me to admit but I've been in your shoes before.  Lucky for me it wasn't my real father.  I've been down the road of heartache and abuse like you have.  Out circumstances may have been different but they are similar in a way.”

 

“I don't know what you are getting at Kaiba?  Nothings going on I swear.  I probably just got jumped on the way home from work.  I don't like in the greatest of neighborhoods you know.”

 

Jounouchi looks away hoping to avoid eye contact.  He didn't want Kaiba to know that he was lying, well partly.  He did live in a bad part of town and he had been jumped a few times in the past.  He wasn't ready to come out and say that he lived with an abusive drunk that he called father.  He was afraid that he would be looked down upon.  He didn't want others to think he was a coward.

 

Kaiba gently pulls Jounouchi to look him straight in the eye.  He knew the man was lying.  He had witnesses the abuse first hand.  Didn't he already tell him that?

 

“I know your lying.  I've seen it.  I know the signs.  I should have noticed sooner.  Maybe then you would be here like this now if I had.  I like my pride and past get in the way.”  


Jounouchi looks down defeated.  He didn't want to admit it to himself of other what was really going on.

 

“Jounouchi, I'm going to tell you some things that I haven't even told Mokuba.  I want you to promise me that you will not tell anyone what I am about to tell you.  I don't want to crush Mokuba's life.”

 

“Why would you tell me something you haven't shared with your own brother?  I didn't think you hide things from each other.”

 

“I had to hide them to save him and I want to show you that I trust you.  Are you willing to listen?  This isn't going to be easy but I believe I need to do it for both of us.”

 

Jounouchi nods his head gently causing some blonde strands to fall in front of his eyes.  The chocolate haired man brushes them aside and moves up closer to the other on the bed. He takes his hand into his own and squeezes lightly.  With a deep breath he continues on.  He just prayed that he wouldn't be interrupted.  He didn't think he could carry on telling the blonde if anyone interrupted.  It was no or never for him.

 

“I think it's best if I started from the beginning.  I have to say even though your dad is the way he is I am envious of you.  Mokuba and I lost both our parents at a young age.  I was five when our mother died and Mokuba never got to meet her.  Before you ask she died during child labor my father told me.  The stress of the labor was too much for her body to handle.  She was lucky to have me, let alone two children.”

 

“I'm sorry.  I had no idea. What was she like?”  Jounouchi asked looking up at Kaiba.  Kaiba smiled at her memory.

 

‘Just take a look at Mokuba.  He's her matching clone in looks and personality.  She would have been so proud of him.”

 

“What do you take after your father then?” Jounouchi joked.

 

Kaiba smirked and pulled out his wallet.  He thumbed through the pictures and pulled an old photograph out.  He handed it to Jounouchi who went wide eyed.  He looked from the photo to Kaiba and back.

 

“There are two of you!?  Don't tell me he had a stick up his ass like you.”

 

“Very funny but no, we only share looks I didn't end up this way cause of my parents.  A lot of things caused me to change.  Mokuba can tell you that much.  He sometimes wishes we could turn back time and get his old brother back.  It wasn't just under Gozaburo that caused me to have a ‘stick up my ass' as you so kindly put it.”

 

Looking down at the photo Jounouchi could see that he was telling the truth.  The man in the photo didn't have the hard lines on his face like Kaiba did.  He looked happy with a bright smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.  Jounouchi was guessing the woman standing next to him was Kaiba's mother.  He wasn't lying when he said Mokuba looked just like her.  If the kid was a girl he would have been a killer with the boys.

 

The blonde looks back up to Kaiba handing him the picture.  He knew that man would want it back.  It was most likely the only photo he had of his parents.  How he wished he had one where his family was happy together, nut he couldn't never remember a time when they were.

 

“Was life in the orphanage at hard to cause you to change?”

 

“It wasn't just there.  The start was when my father died when I was 8.  I haven't told anyone that I witnessed his death and I was the cause for it.  I still blame myself to this very day.  If it wasn't for me Mokuba would have had a better life and our father would still be here...”

 

Kaiba trails off thinking back to that day that he lost his father.  He was glad Mokuba was too young to really remember anything.

 

* * *

 

**FLASHBACK**

 

* * *

 

A tall man with chocolate hair and blue eyes leans down placing a hand upon the head of a small boy that is his spitting image.  A smile graces his face as he ruffles the youngster's hair which earns him a glare and smile.

 

“Seto, are you sure you can handle watching your brother?”

 

“Dad, I'll be fine. How much trouble can a three year old cause in 2 hours?  Just promise me you'll play a game of chess with me when you get back.”

 

“You got a deal.  I'll try my best to be as quick as possible it all depends on Takahiro-sensei.  And you.”

 

The older man turns from his son and picks up a small child with long black hair. He swings him around in a circle and hugs him close.

 

“You need to be good for your big brother, okay?”

 

The child in his arms smiles and nods his head.  He buries his head into his father's chest hugging him the best his little arms could.  His father sets him on the ground and gives his eldest son a quick hug and a pat on the head.  He smiles to the two of them as he heads out the door on his way to work.  He hated to leave the two alone they were all he had left of his late wife.  How he made it this far raising them alone he didn't know.  From what he was told he was doing a fantastic job for having a gifted child.

 

Once their father was out the door the young Seto turned to his little brother.  He smiled ad grabbed his hands squatting own so he was at his level.

 

“What should we do today, Mokie?  You want visit Ms. Asuragi and see if we can get some ice cream?”

 

The younger child's eyes light up and he bounces up and down nodding his head yes.  Young Seto shakes his head happiness written on his face as he laughs lightly.  He stands up to full height and ruffles the little ones hair.  He holds out his hand which his brother takes greedily.

 

“Alright let's go.  Dad will be home before we know it!”

 

“Can we go to the library too?  I want to hear the ending to Moby Dick!”

 

“Sure, why you like that book I will never know” laughs Seto.

 

The two young brothers headed off to visit Ms. Asuragi the owner and widow of the store down the street.  They always knew they could stop by and mooch some ice cream or mochi off of her.  She loved the two little boys they reminded her of her children when they were little.  She would do anything for the two of them if it was in her power.

 

After a long hour of eating ice cream and checking out a few books at the library the young Mokuba was getting tired.  He did a lot for a three year old in the span of an hour.  He kept bugging his brother to let him go home and take a nap.  He was certain that when he woke up their father would be home.  So the young Seto walked home and tucked his little brother in bed.  Not being tired himself he decided that he would go outside to read and wait for their father.

 

It was a nice warm and sunny day.  Too nice to be cooped up inside, so he grabbed one of the books he got from the library –“Also sprach Zarathustra” by Friedrich Nietzsche's- and headed outside.  He sat under the cherry blossom that was blooming in their front yard.  It was beautiful out with the birds chirping and the sun blaring.  Before long he was lost in his reading.

 

Young Seto looks up from his reading when he can hear the all familiar voice of his father calling to him.  He beams as he places his book off to the side rising to his feet.  His father was back sooner than he thought he would be.  He gets up on his feet and heads off to his father who was across and down the street a few houses.

 

“FATHER!”

 

He knew he should have looked before he ran across the street.  The last thing he could remember hearing was his father shouting his name as he was shoved to the side.  If he had looked he would have seen the car speeding down the street straight at him.

 

The next thing the young man saw was his father's lifeless body lying in the street with a puddle of blood forming under him.  He ignored the car that was crashed into the cherry tree in his yard as he ran to his father.  Tears were streaming down his cheeks in rivers.  Why didn't he pay attention? All he could think of was praying that his father was alright.  From the look of things he knew he wasn't.

 

His father laid on the ground on his side his face away from Seto's direction.  Blood was slowly pooling underneath his lifeless body.  Seto ran up to him pulling his head into his lap.  ‘I'm sorry' repeating over and over from his lips.  His father looks up to his son with a weak smile.  He tries to speak with the last bit of his strength.

 

“Take… care… of… Mok…”

 

He is unable to finish as his head falls to the side in Seto's lap.  His chest rises and falls once last time with his last breath he will ever take.  Seto hold his father close in his small arms the tears cascading down his cheeks.  It would take many paramedics to remove him from his father.

 

On the street side he could see his brother standing their rubbing his eyes tiredly.  The screeching of the tires had woken him from his nap.  Seto ran to his little brother bringing him into a tight hug not caring that his shirt was soaked with their father's blood.  There he stood holding his brother shedding tears till they were whisked away.

 

* * *

 

**END FLASHBACK**

 

* * *

 

Jounouchi places a hand on Kaiba's shoulder and squeezes.  He could feel the other man wanted to break down and cry but he was holding it in. his body shook with silent tears.

 

“It wasn't your fault.  I would blame the driver for speeding not you.”

 

Kaiba shakes his head, “I shouldn't have run blindly across the street.  I was smarter than that.”

 

“You were a kid, Kaiba.  Kids don't always think.  I know I was one once too.  I just wish it was my father and not yours.  It's always the crummy guys that get all the luck.”

 

Kaiba sighs and leans back in the bed.  He rests his back against the headboard and looks up to the ceiling.  The blonde curls up next to him resting his head on the brunette's chest.  Kaiba runs his finger through the others blonde locks as he thinks.

 

“Hmm, you may say that now but it would be a different story if it happened.  Least you have you're mother to take you in.  Mokuba and I had no one.  Our relatives only took us in long enough to collect our parents' inheritance then they dumped us off at the orphanage.  A funny thing is you think they would be knocking on our door now asking for money.  It's not a secret how much KaibaCorp makes.”

 

Jounouchi looks up to Kaiba questioning.  What did he mean?  His own family just too money and ran with it?  He laughs internally his father would have done the same thing.  He would have wasted it all on gambling and booze in a matter of days.

 

“How could anyone do that to their own blood?”

 

“It's a sick world out there, Jounouchi.  Life in the orphanage wasn't all rainbows and gold but it would have been better than under Gozaburo.  I could handle all the bullies, but he was a different story.”

 

“What do you mean?  I would have hated to live in an orphanage.”

 

“If you had to choose between dealing with bullies picking on your brother or a monster you would have chosen to stay there.  If I would have known what type of man he was I wouldn't have challenged him to that chess match when I was 10 and cheated to win.  We managed living two years there longer wouldn't have hurt.”

 

Jounouchi glares up at Kaiba who smirks back down at him.  Oh yes he did cheat.  He memorized all of the old mans moves and used them against him.  He trapped him into a corner with no way to escape.  He was doomed to loose the moment he accepted the challenge.

 

“You CHEATED!?  Don't tell me you cheat in duel monster too!?”

 

“If I cheated in duel monster Mutou wouldn't have won so many times” growled Kaiba.  He hated admitting he lost to Mutou Yuugi.  “I only used his same moves against him is all.  It's not my fault he wasn't smart enough to see though it.  I did get pay back later ten-fold if not more.  I'm just glad that the only thing Mokuba suffered was neglect by his hand.  He wouldn't have adopted him as well if it wasn't for my stipulation.”

 

“What he do to you besides be an ass?  Don't tell me he was the one that shoved a stick up you ass and let it rot.”

 

“Very funny.  I wish that was the case than I could have it removed.  No, his idea of raising a child was the use of corporal punishment…”  Kaiba says as he absently rubs his left wrist.

 

Kaiba had so many scares from the man he called ‘father'.   Not all the scares where emotional some were physical and still lingered there.  He always wore long sleeves for a reason he didn't want Mokuba anyone else to know what he had been through.  He was certain that if Mokuba wasn't here with him he would have ended things a long time ago.  Mokuba helped him to grow stronger and over power his demons from the man.

 

Jounouchi looks up to Kaiba his eyes shaded by his blonde bangs.   He could tell Kaiba was hurting telling him these things.  He knew the signs of abuse.  He lived it daily.  He places his hand over Kaiba's stopping him from tracing a scare he knew was on his wrist.  He only prayed it was from the man and not his own doing.

 

“I know Jounouchi what your father does.  I bare some of the same scars you do underneath it all.  I want you to let me in so I can help get a new life started for you.  You'll need to do most of the work but I'll be right there by your side the whole way.”

 

Kaiba gently lifts Jounouchi off of him so he could stand.  He stands up from the bed and hesitantly grabs the hem to his black turtle neck shirt.  He knew he needed to show the blonde his physical scars that remained.  If he saw he bared the same he might open up.  He wanted trust between them not what they once had.  Not even Mokuba knew what Kaiba hid underneath his daily attire or why he wore what he did.  He didn't just wear long sleeved turtle necks year round as a fashion statement.

 

Turning so his back his facing the blonde he pulls his shirt up revealing his back.  Short and long, curved and straight scares litter his back.  Some are hard to see with time fading them away.  One scars stands out amongst the rest.  A long thick scar goes from Kaiba's right shoulder blade down to his left hip.  It looked as if he was whipped with a cane or a whip repeatedly.

 

“What happened?”  Jounouchi questions as he reached out to touch the one mark that stands out above the rest.

 

“Gozaburo thought it best to use force when I didn't get a question right in his teachings.”  Kaiba sighs and pulls his shirt back down and sit in the chair next to the bed.  “That one is the reason why I hate when people miss pronounce English words…”

 

* * *

 

**FLASHBACK**

* * *

 

The sound of a whip hitting flesh echoes through the study.  A man with graying hair, long sideburns, and a mustache holds a long whip above his head ready to strike again.  The small boy about the age of 11 sits in a chair hunched over a desk littered with books and papers.  His eyes are held tightly shut.  He refusing to let tears fall or the sound of pain escapes his lips; it would only make things all that much worse.

 

“AGAIN!”  The older man demands of the child as he gets ready to strike again.  An evil smile graces his face.

 

The child sits up straight in the chair brushing his brown bangs away from his azure eyes.  He takes a deep breath trying to steady him.  He needed to get this right; failing once was more than enough.  He should have been perfect the first time.

 

“B...Biz-ZAP” the child flinches in his seat as the collar around his neck sends an eclectic shot. He can see the man hovering above him ready to correct him again with the whip in hi hands.

 

“BUSINESS, it's  ‘s' not ‘z'!  AGAIN!”  The whip cracks down on the table next to the young boy as he emphasizes the last word.

 

“...Businessu-ZAP-CRACK”

 

The brown haired boy squeezes his eyes shut tightly as the whip descends hard across his back in two consecutive strikes following the zap of the collar.  Why did the English language have to be so hard to learn?  He picked up French, Spanish, and Mandarin with ease.  He already knew German which gave the man a start.  It was the only time he could remember getting praise from the man.  He was glad that when his mother was alive she taught he her native tongue.

 

“We will keep going at this all night till you get it correct!  Now Again!”

 

“Yes, sir.” 

 

The boy takes a deep breath he needed to get it right this time.  He didn't know how much more he could take.  He already could feel the blood starting to soak through his blue shirt.  He would have to avoid Mokuba on his way to bed tonight.  He didn't want his brother asking questions.  He didn't need to know what went on behind the closed doors to the study during his lessons.  He was better off not knowing and living a life to himself, for the man they now called father never paid any attention to his younger brother.

 

“Business” the boy mentally smiles.  He was able to say it clearly this time.

 

“Now use it in a sentence.  -It was a pleasure doing business with you.-”

 

“It was a pleasu-ll doing business with ou.”

 

He couldn't help the muffled scream that escaped his lips this time as he was back lashed even harder with the whip.  Gozaburo lashed at his back more times than he wanted to count.  His back was starting to throb in pain as the whip kept striking his back in the same pace reputedly.

 

 

“Seto, do we need to go back to square one with your ‘Ls' and ‘Rs'?”

“No sir.”

 

“Now say it this time correctly.”

 

The young Seto swallows a lump in this throat.  He needed to correctly pronounce the phrase this time.  He didn’t know how much more his back could take.  He was sure it was bound to get infected if the assault continued.  Maybe the man would allow him to go to bed if he correctly said it.  It was already three in the morning; he had been up for the last 25 hours.

 

“It... was a pl...Pleasure doing ... business with... you.” 

 

Gozaburo narrows his eyes at the boy before him.  “Good, now say it clearly without any hesitation and maybe jut maybe I’ll allow you to take a 15 minute break.”

 

“It was a pleasure doing business with you” young Seto was able to get out without even a hint that he was Japanese.  He spoke it like he was born and raised in America.

 

The older man nods his head and turns around grabbing a stack of paper off the shelf behind him.  He places the huge stack of papers on the desk in front of the young boy with a loud thud.

 

“You can go to bed after you have finished translating this whole report into English.  We will resume your lessons at 9 o’clock sharp.  I expect this to be finish long before that.”

 

Wide ocean blue eyes stare at the elder man before him.  how was he suppose to translate 50 pages into English, clean up his back, get something to eat, and get some sleep in only six hours?  It was near impossible!  He could barely keep his eyes open as it was.  There was no way he would be able to finish in time.  He shuddered at the thought if he didn’t finish in time.  If he thought the shipping was bad he was in for hell if he didn’t finish.

 

Not wanting to waste any time the young boy went straight to work translating the report in front of him.  He knew this was going to be another long sleepless night.  If he was lucky he could finish with just enough time to tend to his back and maybe just maybe get 20 minutes of rest in.  Eating would have to wait till his ‘father’ called him for lunch or dinner.

 

* * *

 

**END FLASHBACK**

 

* * *

 

After telling the other duelist what had happened in his childhood Kaiba felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.  It was a good feeling to finally be able to tell someone what he had gone through.  He knew that he made the right decision in telling the other and opening up to him.  having openness with the other felt relieving.  He knew Jounouchi could keep his mouth shut.  He wasn’t one to go off and run if mouth telling others of peoples misfortunes. 

 

“Well that explains why you are always in a bad mood in English class and glare deadly at the teacher.  I now know why you can be a grade an asshole at times too.  How did you survive living under him?”  Jounouchi questioned after listening to Kaiba recall his memory.

 

A smirk spread across Kaiba’s face.  “I used his own logic and teaching against him.  He didn’t know it at the time but he was turning me into his greatest enemy one he didn’t want to mess with.  He made one wrong move and the bastard got what he deserved in the end.”

 

“Yeah I heard right before you transferred to our class that the CEO of KaibaCorp meet with an accident.  They never did come out and say how he died.”  Jounouchi turns and looks at the taller male with a skeptical look.  “You didn’t have anything to do with it, did you?”

 

“Physically no, I can’t say the same for mentally.  It wasn’t my fault that I beat him at his own game.  He should have paid more attention to who was buying all the company shares.  Then he would have realized sooner that I owned 53% of KaibaCorp with Mokuba’s help.  The board then thought I was a better fit to be President.  It was the bastards own choice to jump out the window to his death.  I only wish that it happened a lot sooner.”

 

“You sure you didn’t ‘push’ him out the window.  I know I would have and I wouldn’t have been the least bit sorry.”

 

“He did it of his own accord after I told him in front of his board members that he was a complete failure and a loser.  I can still remember his last words… To lose means to die…”

 

Jounouchi laughs lightly and looks up to the ceiling of the room his eyes clouded over.

 

“Well, I now know why the all great and mighty Kaiba Seto is fucked up.  I sorry you had to deal with that shit for 6 years.  I guess you are right we do have more in common than we both thought.  You’re just lucky it wasn’t your real father.  It’s a lot harder to deal with when your old man is breathing down your back on a daily basis that you’re a failure and a waste of space.  At least in Gozaburo eyes you had some worth…”

 

Kaiba leans forward in his chair.  He rests his elbows on the edge of the blonde’s bed and folds his fists together resting his chin upon them.  He looks up to the blonde with his piercing blue eyes.  The blonde looks back to him with his honey eyes and sighs.

 

“I’m willing to listen if you are ready to talk” the brunette says his voice laced in trust and understanding.

 

“Maybe when I get out of this joint.  I don’t trust some of the people around here.  I’ve been in here more times than I like and I know the shit people say.  The doctors and nurses might seem nice on the surface but their devils behind your back.  They are always looking for something to exploit or report to the police.  Frankly I’m not ready to deal with the police right now.  Hell, like they’d even believe me with my track record.”

 

“Jounouchi” Kaiba growls.  “I’m sure they’d believe you.  They have an eye witness to an attack and physical evidence.  All they need is your statement.”

 

“Easier said than done.  Just give me a little more time to process things.  My head is still a little fuzzy trying to wrap around how the hell I got here.  I much have done something to make the old man snap like he did if he was trying to kill me as it sounds like.”

 

Kaiba gets up from his seat and runs a hand through Jounouchi’s hair.

 

“I’m here when your ready to talk, but first I think we need to deal with two little eavesdroppers.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Jounouchi looks at Kaiba with eyes wide.  They were being spied on?  He knew he couldn’t trust this place.  How much did they hear of Kaiba’s story?  Didn’t he say he didn’t want anyone to know and that Mokuba didn’t even know the whole truth behind their life with the ‘devil’?

 

The door to the room opens and in walks two young teens; a boy with long black hair and blue eyes and a girl with flowing brown hair and honey eyes.  The girl runs up to the man in the bed and gives him a light hug and a kiss on the cheek.

 

“How did you know we were there, Seto?  I made sure to not make a sound” the teenage boys spoke.

 

“I know when my brother is near and how much did you hear” Kaiba says narrowing his eyes at his brother.  The younger Kaiba knew how much his brother hated eavesdroppers.

 

“We just got here when you were telling Jounouchi how Gozaburo died.  I didn’t know that you were present at his death.”

 

“It was a minor detail.” 

 

Before anymore could be said the door to the room opened again.  This time Dr. Deija popped his head in.  He smiled when his eyes landed on his patient.

 

“Good you’re up.  There are a few tests I’d like to run and than we’ll determine when you are able to be released.  If everything looks good I say you can leave as early as the day after tomorrow.  I don’t see how that should be a problem with what your record tells us.  You seem to be a fast healer.”


	7. V is for Venture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jounouchi heads back home and meets with his father. Memories flood in.

Dr. Deija was almost right; our favorite blonde duelist was able to be released from the hospital sooner that thought.  He was released just three days after, having only wakened from a coma five days ago.  Now being that day of his release he was getting ready to leave the white walls and antiseptic smelling halls behind.  He would be glad to be freed of the place.  He was never one for hospitals.  To many memories and bills that would have to be paid with money he didn’t have.  For now there was a lot that he wanted to do with his new freedom he was being granted.  He had done a lot of thinking the past few days.  

               

The police came by while he was still in the hospital asking questions.  He told them he couldn't remember what had happened during his latest episode with his father.  Honestly he couldn't remember.  A few bits pieces would flash before his eyes, but nothing he could go off of.  Some of the memory flashes he did not know if they were just old memories cooked up or events from that one night.  He told them that when he was ready to talk and remembered what had occurred that he would tell them what they wanted to hear.  He wasn’t even sure if it was a good idea to press charges against his father.  He was fearful that it would more problems that he didn’t want and couldn’t afford to have.  Sure he had friends and Kaiba there to help, but help only went too far.  He needed to do things fro him self.  He hated relying on others.  He rather is there for them than the other way around. 

 

For the time being his father was under the watchful eye of the police.  They would wait patiently for the blonde to come to them.  They already had an eye witness statement to what had happened in the most recent event.  They were in the process of asking around for more information.  They would hold off on formal charges till the victim was ready to follow through.

 

He vowed that once he settled in to his new place, with Yuugi for the time being, that he would pay the old man a visit.  He didn't tell anyone this cause he knew what they would all say.  He needed to see him to confirm a few things.  Also he needed to collect a few of his belongings from their apartment, if they were still there.  He didn't want to get anyone involved in his problems.  He was a big boy and could handle himself, is what he told himself.  He was through being the victim.  After what Kaiba told him he knew he could survive this if he did a similar situation.

 

He still remembers the fit Kaiba put up when he told him that he would be staying with Yuugi and not the billionaire.  As much as he loved their new found relationship he needed space.  He didn't want things to move to fast.  He needed time to figure out what he was going to do.  There was no way he was going to mooch off of the CEO.  Being with Yuugi he could help out around the shop as payment for staying at Kame Game.

 

No, he was going to take things one day at a time.  Being with his best friend, Yuugi, he knew he could get his feet on the right track.  He could even see that Yuugi needed him to be around.  He remembered what Shizuka and Honda told him the duelist went through when he found out about Jounouchi's condition.  Jounouchi never wanted Yuugi to feel like that ever again.  He did promise the CEO that he would visit him every day for lunch.

 

Well here he was standing at the entrance of the hospital doors waiting for Kaiba to come around with the car.  The sun was bright and fall still lingered in the air.  Fallen leaves blew into the entrance each time the doors were opened.  A smile crept on his face.  The moment he stepped over that threshold would be the moment he made a change in his life.  He was going to start a new page; a new chapter in his life and he wasn't alone.

 

A pearl white ford mustang with blue racing strips pulls up to the hospital pick up area.  Jounouchi rolls his eyes as the driver steps out of the car.  The man was royally obsessed with that card.  Even his car was white and blue like the dragon.  He couldn't help but hide a snicker when he sees a decal of the Blue Eyes White Dragon sitting in the rear window.

 

“You are one stubborn dog.  I thought I would you to wait inside and where the hell is the wheelchair?” 

 

The tall brunette walks up over to the blonde eyes narrowed.  He should have known that he wouldn't follow doctor's orders.  Mutou was going to have to keep a close eye on him.  He didn't want him to over do it like he had a feeling the other would do.

 

“I don't need that thing.  I am very capable of walking you know.  It's only my shoulder and wrist that are bandaged.  My back doesn't hurt all that much.  I promise I won't go chasing the mail man.”

 

Jounouchi climbs into the passenger seat as Kaiba holds the door open for him.  He shuts the door and climbs into the driver seat.  He looks to his passenger before starting off with curious eyes.  Did he just use a dog joke on himself?

 

Jounouchi leans back into his seat and closes his eyes.  It was nice being out of that room and into fresh air.  He opens one eye and looks at the brunette next to him.

 

“How much did you pay to get this car customized?  You are seriously too obsessed with that card of yours.  Blue Eyes seat covers really? Hell evens the floor mats are covered in them.”

 

“It was Mokuba's doing.  He thought it would be a nice birthday gift to deck out my car.  I'm not complaining though it does seem a bit much.”

 

“Keep telling yourself that.  Hell, if it was me I'm sure I'd have the Black Eyes Red Dragon or Flames Swordsman theme in my car if I had one.  So what are the plans for today?  I don't feel like staying cooped up in doors all day long.”

 

“We'll drop your things off at Mutou's first.  We can then go out and have some lunch if you'd like.  The offer is still open you know.  You are more than welcome to stay with Mokuba and me.  Your sister is even there staying with us.  We have plenty of space.”

 

“I appreciate the offer, but I need some time.  Nothing against you, it's me.  Things still don't seem real.  I kind of don't want to wake up in an unfamiliar place.  Shizuka will understand, besides Yuugi needs me right now.  I don't want him doing anything stupid.  Sugoroku will be there to keep an eye on me and” Jounouchi shivers at the thought.  “Yuugi's mother.  You have nothing to worry about.”

 

At the blonde Kaiba quirks an eyebrow.  He wondered why he shivered at the thought of the other duelist's mother.  “I guess I'll be keeping in touch with them then.

 

The rest of the ride to Kame Game was in a comfortable peaceful silence.  The two young men just enjoyed each others company as they drove.  Upon arriving at the shop they both instantly knew that their lunch date would have to wait for another day.  Jounouchi was the first to spot Honda's white and blue motorbike.  It was a dead give away that if he was there everyone else would be. It only meant one thing to the blonde that they were going to throw him congratulations on being released from the hospital party.

 

Jounouchi beams as the car comes to a stop right in front of the game store.  He doesn't wait for Kaiba to come around and open his door, it still amazed Kaiba to no end on how fast and well the blonde duelist could move after all he had been through.  Kaiba shakes his head as the blonde turns and grabs his hand dragging him to the door of the shop.  It brought a smile to his face to see than the blonde was doing better.  He hates seeing him in the condition he was in at the hospital.  It was hard to believe that just 3 days ago he awoke from his coma. 

 

As the door to the store was opened the two were greeted by the ‘Yuugi-Dachi' and the younger Kaiba brother with Shizuka.  Everyone came up and gave the blonde a hug.  Honda wrapped his arm around his best friend's shoulder and dragged him off to the apartment behind the shop.  He was chatting his head off the whole time.  There was so much that they needed to catch up on.

 

Before anyone knew it the hours had flown on by like the wind.  It was now 9 o'clock at night.  So much had happened when Jounouchi got back with his friends.  Kaiba had to keep the blonde from trying to kill his brother when Shizuka and Mokuba confirmed that they were dating.  The information sent the blonde into a rage swearing he didn't care if he was Kaiba's brother or not, no one touched his sister.  They finally got the blonde to calm down after Mokuba made a promise to treat her right and to keep it in his pants until they both graduated high school.  Saying that earned him Shizuka looking at him and telling him to grow up and get laid.  Jounouchi felt scandalized for a few hours after that.  Where did his little sister go?  Who was this demon that replaced her?

 

It was now time that everyone was getting ready to go home.  Kaiba kept telling Jounouchi that there was always a room open for him at the mansion all he had to do was say the word.  Kaiba would come and get him anytime.  He did understand the reasons why he wanted space, but he still didn't trust him.  He could sense that there was something the other was keeping from him and from everyone else.  He would get to the bottom of it if it killed him.  Kaiba left not long after the others with Yuugi promising him that he would keep an eye on the blonde.  If anything happened he would call Kaiba right away and tell him.

 

With everyone gone Yuugi and Jounouchi were currently sitting in Yuugi's room.  Jounouchi lay on Yuugi's bed staring up at the ceiling, while Yuugi was on the floor on his stomach elbows on the ground and head in his hands.  Yuugi looked up to his best friend with a smile spreading on his face.  It felt like old times when the blonde would sleep over, but something seemed off.

 

“Jou you're not planning anything are you?  I get this feeling there's something you're not telling me.  I'm here for you.  I'll listen.”

 

Jounouchi sighs and turns to look at his friend.  “Just doesn't seem real, Yuug.  I'm afraid that this is all some dream and I'll wake up any minute.  Do you think Kaiba is really genuine with his feelings?”

 

Yuugi rolls his eyes getting up from the floor.  He goes over and joins the blonde in the bed.  It was big enough for them to share. 

 

“You can be real dense sometimes, Jou.   Yes, I'm sure he his.  I wasn't the only one that went through a hard time with what happened.  I just wish you came to us about it.  We could have helped. And no don't even say it.  You would not have been a burden.  We're all friends and there for each other through thick or thin.”

 

“Sorry, I just thought I could handle things on my own.  So you want to help me kill Mokuba tomorrow?”

 

“Jounouchi!”  Yuugi says giving Jounouchi wide eyes.

 

Yuugi and Jounouchi have a good laugh like old times as they get ready for bed.  It wasn't long before both of them descended into the land of dreams.  For one they dreamed peacefully with flashbacks of their adventures together.  The other dreamed of the past, bits and pieces of that one night fading in and out.  It kept him restless the whole night fading in and out of sleep constantly.

 

* * *

 

 

When the sun was just starting to rise the next morning the taller of the two older teen boys was the first to rise.  He crept out of bed as quietly as he could.  He didn't want to wake his friend up from their sleep.  He wanted to be gone and close to his destination before the other even knew.  If he knew where he was going all hell would break loose.  He knew he shouldn't go on this venture but he needed to.  He needed to find out what happened and to retrieve a few things.

 

Maybe visiting the pace where it all took place, where it always took place he could find some answers.  If he was luck the old man wouldn't be home.  He prayed that lady luck was on his side this day.  If he was home maybe he would be passed out drunk on the couch or in bed.

 

Carefully he made his way down the stairs cringing when ever a floor board would creak.  He releases a breath he didn't know he was holding when he places his hand on the doorknob to the shop leading outside.  He was lucky so far that no one noticed him leaving.  It was now or never.  He opens the door and steps out side.  He gently pulls the door shut trying not to sound the bells singling a customer.

 

“Shit!”

 

When he turns around he nearly jumps out of his skin.  He is meet with a very pissed off brunette.  The sun glowing behind him makes him seem even madder than what he really is.  He slowly looks up into narrowed blue eyes and swallows a lump in his throat.  The taller male crosses his arms over his chest and looks down at the blonde.  Blue eyes stare into honey mixed with anger and disappointment.

 

“Where do you think you're sneaking off to?”

 

“Damn it!  How the hell did you know?  Don't tell me you where out here all night.”

 

“No I wasn't.  I just happened to get a phone call about a certain dog on my way to work.  Then I see your ass trying to sneak out when I arrive.  Care to explain what you are up to?”

 

Jounouchi leans back against the door and runs a hand through his blonde locks.  He sighs as he catches out of the corner of his eye the blinds swaying in Yuugi's room.  He should have known that he wouldn't be able to sneak away.  Yuugi probably let him go and called Kaiba right after.  Damn, he felt like a dog on a short leash.  Mine as well use Kaiba while he was here.  He just prayed that he wouldn't be too using over what he was going to ask.

 

“I thought I could go and retrieve a few belongings from the apartment?”

 

Kaiba narrows his eyes more.  Did the dog never learn?  Why would he want to go back there and chance running into his father?  He was in no condition to fight back if the need arose.

 

“I didn't think you were that dumb.  What ever is there we can replace it.  There is no need to put you back into that situation I refuse to allow it now that I know what is going on.”

 

“Kaiba, there's sentimental things I want to collect.  I know clothes and that can be replaced.  Pictures and my deck can't be.  Besides I was curious to see if I returned if it would help me remember anything.  I hate being in the dark as to what happened.  I know there is something that you all are keeping from me.  I want to know.  I have to know.”

 

Dropping his hands Kaiba turns and starts to walk towards his mustang.  He pauses as he reaches the driver's side door.  He turns and looks back to the blonde his hand on the door knob and sees that the other hadn't moved from his spot.

 

“You coming?  I rather get this over with the sooner the better.  I don't want you going there alone.”

 

Jounouchi nods and walks over to the car and seats in the front passenger seat.  He looks over to Kaiba as he starts the car back up.  He was thankful that he didn't seem to mad.  Hell he was willing to give him a lift and go with him to the apartment.  Now if only lady luck would stay with him and have his father out and not home or passed out.

 

“Thanks.  I mean it.”

 

“Don't.  I rather go with you than have something happen.”

 

With that being said the two teens started off towards the shorter ones apartment he shared with his father.  The ride there was in complete nervous silence yet was eerily comfortable.  Both afraid to speak for fear what they would voice to the other.  The shorter afraid of what awaited him back at his old home.  Hopefully his things were still where he had hid them and his father didn't find them and place them in pawn.

 

Kaiba pulls the car into a parking space in front of the apartment complex, he looks over to his passenger asking the silent question if he was sure he wanted to do this.  He would have been more than happy to end someone for the blonde to retrieve the things he wanted.  It wouldn't have been a problem.

 

Jounouchi takes a deep breath steadying him.  It was now of never, he needed to do this.  He had to confront his father if the need arose and to collect his things.  He had a gut feeling that this trip would help him remember what happened.

 

“Let's get this over with.  I don't want to linger if the old man isn't home.  Who knows what he would do if he found me walking in with a friend no less.  You might want to stay here with your car.”

 

“Humph.  I'm not letting you go in there alone.  The car will be fine, it's just a car it can be replaced.  We will not be long.  Just grab what you need quick and we'll leave.”

 

Jounouchi nods and head up to the front of the building.  He hesitates for a moment then crosses the threshold.  He quickly ascends as fast as his battered body allows him the stairs to his apartment.  Kaiba if right on his heels the whole way.  There was no way he was going to allow him to give him the slip. Once they reach the apartment marked 3B they pause.

 

On the other side of the door they can hear the sounds of a TV program playing.  A heavy sigh escapes the blonde.  Well there goes trying to avoid his father.  They would just have to be quite as they entered incase the man was asleep.  They had no such luck.  As Jounouchi opened the door and stepped in they were greeted by the man that he called father.  The older Jounouchi glares at him.  If looks could have killed Jounouchi would have been buried six feet under in an instant. 

 

After a little argument Kaiba stands outside the door to allow Jounouchi to enter.  Jounouchi kept telling him it would be better if he went in alone first.  It was best if he saw what kind of mood his father was in.  If he was sober things wouldn’t be too good.  If anything were to happen that Kaiba felt the need to enter he would in an instant.  He wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

 

“What the hell are you doing here boy!?  You have a lot of nerve coming back here after getting those pigs involved.  If you were smart you would have stayed the fuck away like the bitch you call a mother and that thing she calls a daughter.”

 

The older Jounouchi gets up from his place on the over used couch.  He approaches his son with malice in his eyes.  An evil grin spreads across his face as he stands just inches from the one he calls his son.  Even when the man wasn't trashed he was still and ass.

 

“I guess you couldn't resist coming back to daddy dear could you.  Did you want to have another round with the boys?  I kept hearing how good a fuck you were.”  The older blonde reaches out and places a hand on the others cheek and draws him up to look fully into his eyes. 

 

“I heard you laid there and took it like a bitch in heat.”

 

Jounouchi filches slightly at the touch.  He stands there frozen in place.  Why did he let this man get to him?  Why did he have so much power over him? He looks to the man that is his biological father with anger, fear, and puzzlement.  What did his father mean he ‘took it like a bitch'?

 

“W-what are you talking about?”

 

“How convenient you don't remember?  Tamaki and the others gave me a pretty penny to have your ass.  They kept going on and on about how good and tight you were, not that I wanted to hear it.  I think I have found a good use for you boy.”

 

Having heard enough Kaiba walks into the apartment making him known.  He shoves he man's hand away from the younger duelist.  He pulls Jounouchi behind him and glares daggers at the man before him.  He needed to get Jounouchi out of there and fast.  He could already see the wheels turning in his head.  Of all things for him to remember this would be the first.  This would have been the one thing Kaiba hoped he would never remember.

 

“Kaiba what's he talking about?”  Jounouchi questions looking to Kaiba like a lost puppy scared and alone.

 

“Just go get what you need.  I'll deal with him.  The sooner we leave the better.”

 

“Where do you think you are going?  Don't think you can do as you please. Don't think for one minute that having your boy toy here gives you the right.”  The man stops his son grabbing his injured arm causing him to stop in his tracks wincing in pain.  The older Jounouchi directs his attention to the brunette in the room.  “So how much you paying to have a piece of what is mine?”

 

“If you were smart you would remove our hands from him” growls Kaiba.

 

“You think you can take me boy?  I've dealt with worse than your kind in my younger days.”  Mr. Jounouchi shoves his son off to the side and moves to get up into Kaiba's face.  There was no way he was going to take crap from anyone.  No one took what was his unless they paid first of course.  He didn't want the boy going off now not when he knew how much he was worth to others.

 

Jounouchi gets up from the floor and goes over to his father.  He places a hand on his arm trying to divert his attention.  He did not want him lashing out on Kaiba.

 

“Dad, stop! “  Jounouchi is backhanded by his father.

 

“Don't tell me what to do!”

 

Kaiba smirks evilly at the man before him.  He goes into his left breast pocket of his long white trench coat must similar to the one he worn at Battle City.  He slowly pulls out a small silver revolver.  He checks the chamber on the gun seeing that it was loaded.  He then proceeds to aim the barrel at the older Jounouchi.

 

“There are two ways this can play out; one you let him get what he needs and we leave.  Two I don't hesitate to fire.  Don't think for one second that I won't do it.  I'm not afraid of you or anyone.  I'll tell you a little secret, it won't be the first time nor the last time I fire at someone.”  Kaiba clicks the gun getting ready to shot if the need arises.  “So what's it going to be?”

 

Jounouchi stares at Kaiba.  When did he get a gun?  Scratch that stupid question he probably carried one for safety.  He was a multi-billionaire CEO of KaibaCorp.  Jounouchi was sure he had his fair share of situations even Mokuba.  He may hate the man before him but he didn't want him dead.  Jounouchi looks to Kaiba pleading.

 

“You wouldn't” the older Jounouchi narrows his eyes at the tall brunette.

 

“You want to test your luck?”  Kaiba nods briefly to Jounouchi.  “Get your things.”

 

The blonde nods and heads off to his room quickly.  He wasn't going to dilly dally.  He would gather what he needed and get out of there before anyone tried to kill anyone.  He was definitely seeing Kaiba in a new light now thanks to everything that had happened.

 

Once in he reaches his room he stops and pauses a moment looking in.  He sees the door resting to the side with a large boot indentation.  Wood splintering from the frame and edges of the door from being kicked in.  His eyes than linger on one spot in the room.  In the corner between the window and door he can see a large red stain.  He could only guess that it was his blood.

 

He closes his eyes tight and clutches his hair in his hands as images flash before his eyes.  He bends down to the ground, squatting as he groans.  He could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on as memories flooded his head.  He takes a deep breath standing up and shaking his head.  He needed to get his things quick he could focus on remembering later.

 

He steps over the threshold of the room and almost instant feels a deep sense of fear, regret, and embarrassment.  He tries to push it away as he walks over to his closet where he kept all his things hidden.  He tears his eyes away from the red spot on the ground and looks in the closest.  He pulls a loose wall panel away from the wall where he had hidden all his precious belongings from his father.  He grabs to medium sized shoe boxes and his duel disk he received from Battle City.

 

Once he had what he wanted he left the room in a hurry?  Tears threatening to spill from his eyes as his body shook silently.  He chances one last look at his old bedroom hugging his things close to his body.  He could now see replaying before his eyes in a fuzzy haze what his father was talking about.  How was he going to face his friends and Kaiba again after that?  He felt dirty and used.  He felt like the trash his father called him.

 

Walking from his bedroom back to the living space he could now see the trail of blood that lingered behind.  He must have tried to get out at some point between... he dare to think about it and his father coming home.  He could see another small stain of blood in the corner near the kitchen entrance.  What did he do to piss his father off so much that he almost killed him?

 

Jounouchi is snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of someone calling him.  He looks up with dull eyes and sees Kaiba calling him as he has his father cornered with a gun.  That’s right he was here to get his things and he wasn’t alone.  He hangs his head down eyes closed and walks over to the taller teen.  He didn’t want to see anymore of this place.

 

“Let’s go Kaiba.  I've stayed long enough.”

 

“Go on run away just like your whore of a mother!  I see you got a ‘man’” Mr. Jounouchi spits the word like it was venom.  “Like she did.  I bet you already fucked him too.  I know she did that’s where that little tramp came from.  She had the nerve to say it was mine.  I bet she’s a whore just like her mother.  She’s probably nice and tight.  I wonder how much she’d fetch with the boys.”

 

The blonde stops in his tracks.  He turns lifting his head and glares daggers at the man before him.  Pure anger and hatred burn within his honey eyes.  No one ever talked that way about his sister.  No one ever threatened her innocence.

 

“Don’t you ever talk about Shizuka like that again.  You can call me what ever you like.  You can beat me all you want but I draw the line when you involve her.  Unlike me she’s pure and innocent and you will never taint her.  You leave her out of this!”  Jounouchi takes a deep breath and walks up to his father.  He gets right in his face with eyes narrowed dangerously and points an accusing finger at him.  His anger taking control over his body and hiding his other emotions.  His father was lucky he wasn’t in any condition to fight.  For if he was he would have done something he should have a long time ago.  “You know what I hope your ass rotes in jail for all you have done!  I’m through being your punching bag!”

 

“Jounouchi lets go.  Don’t pay him any mind.  It’s all empty threats” Kaiba says placing a hand on the fair haired teen’s shoulder.

 

Jounouchi shies away from the touch causing Kaiba to sigh internally. Kaiba could tell the damage was already done.  How far it went he didn’t know yet only time would tell.  Right now the blonde was hot, anger flowing from him in waves.  Jounouchi turns away from his father none the less and walks out the apartment as fast as he his battered body would allow him.  He needed to get away from the man before he had his ugly blood on his hands.

 

While he had the resolve and will to do it he needed to press charges against the man he called father.  He needed to be locked up tight and far away from Shizuka as he could be.  Jounouchi wasn’t going to take a chance that he would fallow through on trying to sell his daughter.  One thought floated through his head though.  It sounded like his father was claiming that Shizuka wasn’t even his.  Did his mother really betray the man?  Jounouchi wouldn’t blame her if she did.


	8. E is for Evocative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jounouchi goes to the police and finally tells them what has been happening.

Kaiba follows the blonde down the stairs and out of the apartment complex.  He could see that the blonde was on a mission.  What his father said to him moments ago was fueling rage in the other.  Kaiba could understand where Jounouchi was coming from.  If anyone said anything like that about his brother he would have went ballistic.  The light of anther day they wouldn't have seen.  He gave the blonde credit for not lashing out at the man that was supposed to be a father.

 

Jounouchi stands at the side of Kaiba's car waiting for him to unlock it, his adrenaline still pumping.  As soon as Kaiba unlocks the car he gets in and buckles himself in.  It was now or never to put his demons to rest.  Once Kaiba is in the driver seat he looks over to his passenger with worry.  He goes to place a hand on Jounouchi's knee but the other recoils away.

 

“Jounouchi?” questions Kaiba.

 

                Jounouchi shakes his head and draws into himself.  “I need a shower.  I feel dirty just having stepped into that place.  Can we head to your place or Yuugi's?”

 

                “Sure, are you alright?”

 

                “I honestly don't know.  There's just too much coming, at me at once.  I just need to get clean, and then I think I might want to talk.” says Jounouchi in a shaky voice.  “You might want to call the officer in charge of my case.  I don't think I can recant this more than once.”

 

                “Are you sure about this?”

 

                “It's not about being sure.  It's about getting him locked up where he can't harm Shizuka.  I don't want to take that chance when he has connections.  She's everything to me.”

 

                Kaiba agrees to the blonde's wishes and they head off back to Kaiba Estate.  Kaiba could tell there was more to the story than what Jounouchi was letting on.  He has a sneaking suspicion that he remembered the rape.  With the way he was acting, moving away from his touch and wanting a shower was more than enough to answer that question.  He knew it was going to be a long road to recovery now.  He prayed that it didn't have lasting effects on the blonde.

 

                Once they arrived at Kaiba's home Jounouchi wasted no time in heading up the stairs in search of a bathroom.  Kaiba gave the two worried and puzzled on lookers a look silencing them as he went off after the blonde.  He would inform them after he helped the other find his way.  He didn't want him getting lost in the huge mansion; it would be easy for anyone to do.  Kaiba even still did it a few times himself.  It was one of the reasons why he never went into the East Wing.

 

                Kaiba stopped the blonde in the falls and told him to follow him.  He then led him to his personal bedroom to use his private bath.  He helped him cover up his cast on his wrist with saran wrap.  While the blonde was in the shower washing away what ever he felt the need to Kaiba went into his wardrobe and pulled out a shirt and pants for him to wear.  He then called Mokuba and Shizuka up to the room to talk to them.

 

                He informed the two younger teens what had transpired that morning.  He left out a few details for he didn't want to upset the girl.  She didn't need to hear what her father said about her.  It was enough for her to know what he said and did to her brother.  He made a mental note to call Ms. Kawai later and find out if there was any truth to the accusations made against her and her daughter.  If there was any truth to the matter it could explain why she took her and not her son.  She would have had no choice but to take the girl with her.

 

                When the two were informed of what they needed to be told he picked up the phone and made a phone call to the local police.  He really hoped that he was sure about this.  He didn't want to call them and than have him shut down and tells them what they needed.

 

                “Hello, this is Kaiba Seto I need to speak with the officer in charge of the Jounouchi Katsuya and Kenji case.  Yes I can hold.”

 

                On the other end of the phone an older sounding gentleman picks up.

 

                ~This is Officer Saito Haruto.  How may I help you? ~

 

                “Hello officer Saito.  I was told to call and inform you that Jounouchi Katsuya wishes to talk about what has happened.  I also believe that he is willing and wanting to press charges.”

 

                ~If that be the case we will need him to come down to the station.  We would like to interview him in a neutral setting.  When do you think you will be able to come down so I can inform my superior to set up a room? ~

 

                Kaiba pauses and looks towards the bathroom door.  Hopefully Jounouchi wouldn't be mad at him, but he thought it best the sooner the better they got this over with.  It was best to do it while everything was still fresh in his mind.

 

                “If it won't be too much of a problem Jounouchi and I can be there within the hour.  -Good, thank you. We'll see you then.”

 

                Kaiba ends the phone calls and sits down on the edge of his bed.  He looks to the alarm clock on his night stand –it reads 6 o'clock am.  He mine as well call school and inform them that he will be absent and his secretary.  She's probably wondering where he is.  He told her he would be in work an hour ago.

 

                The door to the joint bathroom opens causing Kaiba to look up from his phone call to his secretary.  Jounouchi peaks out from a crack in the door and asks Kaiba if he had anything he could wear.  Getting up with Kaiba goes over and hands the blonde the clothes he got out moments before.  The blonde takes them greedily and shuts the door again.  Kaiba leans his back on the door and calls out to the other.

 

                “I called the station and told them that we will be down in the hour.  I hope that is fine.”

 

                A heavy sighs comes from the other side.  “Yeah, it's now or never.”

 

                Freshly washed and dressed Jounouchi walks out of the bathroom wearing a pair of dark blue jeans a little too long for him and a red long sleeved sweater.  His skin was a bright red from the hot water he scrubbed his body with.  Ignoring Kaiba's concerned stares he walks over to the bed grabbing his shoe boxes.  He would need what was in them.  If he was lucky it would be all the evidence that they needed.

 

“Let's get this over with before I chicken out, again.”

 

“Again?” questions Kaiba.

 

“I tried to report him when I was younger when I first realized what was going on.  I chickened out when he threatened me.”

 

* * *

 

 

The two teen arrived at the police station in just under and hours time.  When they arrived they were greeted by a tall -about an inch taller than Kaiba- and lanky officer with green eyes and short black hair.  He introduced himself as Officer Saito Haruto and that he would be the officer in charge of the case.  The officer kept sending worried glances back at the blonde.  He had seen this type of ting far too often for his liking.  It was a growing problem, well not growing but it was being brought out into to open.  More victims were coming forward now days.

 

One thing that set this kid off different from the others was the fire that was burning in his eyes.  He looked pissed off and ready to fight the world.  He could tell there was something that set the youth off.  He never had seen a victim so on fire.  Maybe during the interview he could get down to the bottom of it.  For now he would be weary of the teen's body language.

 

The officer leads the two down the halls and into a small 9'x11' room.  There was a table set up in the middle with a small black tape recorder sitting on it.  There was a brown couch off to the left side and three brown cushioned chairs on the opposite side of the table.  Two of the three chairs where occupied.  In one seat a beautiful foreign long haired blonde female and in the other was an average built stern looking Japanese man.  The female sends a smile towards the three that just entered the room.

 

Officer Saito gestures to the couch offering a seat to the blonde duelist.  He then pulls Kaiba off to the side.  He could tell that as much as the other wanted to be present in the interview it was ill advised.  He informed Kaiba that he would have to interview the blonde alone to get the best accurate information that they could.  He said he could sit in the next room and observe the interview through a monitor for they would be video tapping it for evidence.  He would then have to re-interview the CEO to go over his previous eye witness statement to the most recent event that transpired and make sure nothing in his story had changed.

 

Reluctantly Kaiba agrees with the officer.  He tells Jounouchi that he will be in another room and if he is needed he will come back.  Jounouchi sighs but agrees.  He would have loved to have the support of a friend with him, but he knew how these things worked.  Once Kaiba had left the room leaving the four alone Jounouchi starts to pace the length of the room in a nervous pissed off manner.

 

Once the door to the room I shut Officer Saito and the other two present look to the teen in the room.  Officer Saito goes over to the teen and places a hand on his shoulder.  This action causes the teen to recoil and shrink away from the officer.  A flash of fear coasts across his honey eyes.  The officer sighs and holds his hand out to the couch.

 

“If you would like you can have a seat and we'll get started.”

 

Jounouchi glares at the man but goes and sits down on the couch.  He sits with his knees together, his left leg bouncing on the ground nervously.  He clutches his boxes close to his body.

 

“My name is Officer Saito Haruto.  You may call me Sai if you wish.  My job is to talk with teens about things that happened to them.  I have with me today Detective Yamamoto Ryuki.  He'll be sitting in with us.” 

The officer gestures to the other male in the room.  The detective nods to the blonde in a greeting.  Detective Yamamoto and Jounouchi had meet previously before while he was still at the hospital.  The detective took note of the change in the teen's behavior.  It appeared that something had happened.  Hopefully they would get to the bottom of it as the interview progressed. Officer Saito then holds his hand out to the blonde female in the room.  She smiles warmly at the blonde teen jotting down some notes on his behavior.

 

“This is Matsui Hana.  She's here to listen and help take notes.  I am a police officer with the Domino City Special Victims Unit.  What do you think I do?”

 

Jounouchi growls deep in his throat in annoyance.

 

“Cut the bull shit, I'm not a child. I know how this works.  Let's just cut to the chase.  Everything you need to know is in my medical history and here.” 

 

Jounouchi stands up and opens the two shoe boxes he was carrying he dumps a couple dozen spiral notebooks on the table worn with time.  He didn't want to spend all day recanting what he had been through.  Living through it once was more than enough for him.  Everything they needed to know was written in the pages of the notebooks.  He kept a detailed journal of his life.  It was his means to escape reality.  He was a troubled child when he was little with his parents fighting constantly.  Writing things down and drawing were his source of release.

 

The detective reaches over to the table and picks up one of the notebooks.  He thumbs through it and sighs.  There was so much in there, how did the kid write so small with three lines to printed line?  Jounouchi sits back down with a huff.  Officer Saito looks to him and smiles sadly.

 

“I understand how you feel but there is a formality we must follow.  We need to get a better understanding of what has been happening.  Do you understand?”

 

“I may understand, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it.  Just get on it.”

 

“Alright, would it be alright with you if I recorded our talk today?” asks Officer Saito as he points to a camera stationed in the right corner of the room.

 

“Yeah whatever.  And let me guess Ms. Matsui will be taking notes hence the pen and paper.”

 

“Correct if that is alright with you.”

 

Jounouchi nods and leans back into the couch.  He was a nervous mess and his adrenaline was still pumping.  He could tell his face was red and hot.  He sat there bouncing his leg and picking at his cast on his wrist.  Why did things have to be so hard and formal?  Couldn't they just read his journals and get all the evidence they needed?

 

“That's fine.”

 

Officer Saito leans forward in his chair and rests his elbows on the table.  He places his head in his hands and looks to the blonde teen.

 

“Alright let's get started.  I will start recording now.”  Officer Saito reaches out and presses a button on the recorder that was sitting on the table. 

 

“Today is October 20th and it is now 0700 hours.  I am interviewing Jounouchi Katsuya at Domino City Police Department.  I have with me Detective Yamamoto Ryuki and Matsui Hana.”

 

Officer Saito looks to Jounouchi.

 

“I talk with a lot of teens and it's always important that they tell the truth.  Today as we talk, will you promise to tell the truth and talk about the things that really happened?”

 

“Yes.” Jounouchi says as he closes his eyes.  He needed to calm down and focus on what they wanted to hear.  Officer Saito precedes with the interview his eyes lingering on the blonde.  He truly felt sorry for the teen but he needed to remain indifferent to the case.  Once the facts were complied then he could voice his opinion on what happened.

 

“I don't have all the answers.  So when we talk I need you to tell me everything in your own words.  I wasn't there so I do not know what happened to you.  If I make a mistake, I want you to correct me.  If I ask a question you don't want to answer just say, ‘I don't know.'  Okay?”

 

“Hmm.”  He hums in agreement.

 

The officer leans back in his chair placing his hands in his lap.

 

“If I ask you a question and you don't remember, it's okay to say you don't remember.  If I ask you the same question more than once, it doesn't mean your first answer was wrong, maybe I forgot or got confused.  If your first answer was right, just tell me again.  Alright?”

 

Jounouchi looks at the man in the eyes his leg bouncing faster.  Couldn't they jut get straight to the point already?  He was losing his cool and confidence with each passing minute.

 

“I got that already.  Can we just get on with the questions please?  I don't need the ground rules laid out there for me I'm 18 years old not 5.”

 

“Jounouchi, I know as much as you don't like this, this is something we have to do with everyone.  Every case that involves child abuse we ask the same questions and set down the same rules.  It's so we can get the most accurate and truthful answers to the bigger picture.  Alright?”

 

“Yeah whatever.”

 

“Okay.  If I ask you a question you don want to answer, just tell me ‘I don't want to talk about it right now'.”

 

The officer sands up from his chair and walks over to a small sink in the room.  He pulls out a blue glass cup from the cupboard above the sink.  He fills it with cold water from the tap.  Walking back over to the group he holds the drink out to the teen.  Jounouchi reaches out and takes it sipping on the water.  The coldness felt good going down his throat, helping calm him.

 

The officer turns and grabs his chair bringing it over to the blonde.  He sets it between the couch and table.  Sitting down he looks warmly at Jounouchi with a smile on his face.

 

“I would now like to get to know you better/ find out more about you.  Can you tell me some of the things you like to do?”

 

“Duel Monsters, going to the arcade, and hanging out at Yuugi's.”

 

“Could you tell me more about you friend?”

 

Jounouchi raises an eyebrow.  “What does he have to do with anything?  He's not involved.”

 

“I'm just trying to get to know you.”

 

“He's my best friend.  It's all thanks to him that I got out of Hirutani's gang.  Being in his gang is a part of my life I'm not proud of.  I'm glad Yuug changed my life around.  If he never got me into Duel Monsters I would never have been able to help pay for my sister's eye operation.”

 

“Can you tell me more about this Duel Monsters?”

 

“You're kidding right?  You can't tell me you haven't heard of it.  The Battle City final was aired lived and all over the news.  Hell I even placed third in the finals.  I would have placed second if Marik didn't cheat!”

 

“What do you mean he cheated?”

 

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you.  He cheated bottom line.”  ‘And almost killed me... well he technically did but what ever I'm alive.' Jounouchi added as an after thought to himself.  He was glad all the Shadow Magic hocus pocus was over.

 

“Hmm, know that I know some things you like to do, tell me some things you like/don't like about school.”

 

“I can't say there is really anything special there.  I got my friends with me.  We're in almost every class together.”

 

“Is there a class/teacher that's your favorite or you don't like?”

 

Jounouchi rolls his eyes.  He never really cared for school.  He was at the bottom of the class.  All the teachers seemed out to get him because he was a class clown.  Hell he even fell asleep constantly during class.  It was hard for him to focus with what little actual sleep he got between beatings, homework, and work.  Not to mention he had a hard time keeping and retaining information or staying on the same task for long.  The only thing he could actually stay channeled to be Duel Monsters.  He knew he had ADHA but he didn't have money for meds nor did his mom want to put him on them when he was younger.  With her being a nurse she saw the side affects.  And hell his dad could give a rat's ass.  with the years going by he had learned to cope with it.

 

“Not particularly.  I can't really focus in school.  It's hard to stay focused on one task for a long period of time.  Well except for Duel Monsters.  I take pride in my deck.”

 

“Can you tell me about some of your fellow classmates?”

 

“Ha, I can tell you about one.”  A grin appears on Jounouchi's face as he looks pointedly at what he knew was a one way window.  Oh he knew Kaiba was on the other side.  He couldn't help riling him up.  Their spats are what kept him going.  He even knew Kaiba looked forward to them.  “He's a stuck up, cold hearted, conniving bastard CEO of KaibaCorp with an ego and pride bigger than the ocean. Please tell me you know KaibaCorp?  I might have to beat your ass if you say you don't.”

 

On the other side of the window Kaiba narrows his eyes and glares at the blonde.  He really had to go there didn't he?  Here he was trying to help him out and he makes him seem like some stuck up rich kid.  Okay he had to admit at times he was just that but come on.

 

“I've heard of it I assure you no need to get violent.”  Officer Saito laughs.  “You happen to be talking about Kaiba Seto?”

 

“The one and only.  He's not so bad anymore.  He was a real ass in the beginning when we first met.  I understand where he's coming from now.  I wouldn't have him any other way.  I won't be here if it wasn't for his medaling.  I'm appreciative of it, really.” smiles Jounouchi.

 

“Could you tell me a little about your family?  I would like to know about them.”

 

“Who do you want me to start on?  My loving sister, my bitch of a mother, or the bastard I have the ‘privilege' of calling father?”

 

Officer Saito asks Jounouchi to start talking about his sister.  Jounouchi leans his head back with a bright big smile etched on his face.  Every time he thinks about Shizuka a smile adorns his features.  He tells them that she is three years younger, 15.  She was in her first year of high school.  He never really got to see her much since his mother and her lived five hours away by train.  That and his mother and him were not on very good terms. 

 

To Jounouchi Shizuka was pure and innocent.  She could do no wrong in his eyes.  She was his rock and would do anything for her.  She was the lucky one that didn’t have to live with their father.  Though Jounouchi and his mother never got along she was a great mother to her.  She took great care of her daughter, protecting her from harm.

 

Jounouchi knew from a young age that his mother didn’t really favor him.  He been told on more than one occasion from both her and his father that if was the whole reason his parents where together.  One drunken night when they both were young and stupid he was conceived.  His mother being from a Christian family, her family had his father and mother married.  There was no way they’d allow their daughter to have a child out of wedlock.

 

His father on the other hand that was a long story.  All the man ever cared about was he bottle and his gambling.  He would waste what ever money he made and Jounouchi brought in from work on alcohol and gambling with his friends.  Jounouchi worked to the bone to keep a roof over their heads.  Between work and school he never really had time to himself except the few occasions he hung out with Yuugi and them.

 

Once he was done telling the three about his family the officer starts to get into more detailed questions.  He questions Jounouchi about the recent party he had for being released from the hospital.  He seemed to relax quite a bit when he was talking about his friends and the fun he had.  He even told them how he almost ‘killed’ the youngest Kaiba for making a move on his beloved little sister.  He was secretly still planning a way to get at the young Kaiba.  There was no way he was giving his little sister up.

 

* * *

 

 

“I would now like to talk to you about why you are here today.  Could you tell me about the people who live with you?  Tell me some things you like/don’t like about them.”

 

“It’s just my dad and me.  And there is nothing to like about that man.  He never was much of a father from as far back as I can remember.  There are too many things to list off one by one about what I hate about the man.  I just regret not coming here sooner.  If I had things might not have escalated to me being hospitalized for 2 weeks.  It was usual just a quick fix.  A few stitches here, a quick cast there.  Long sleeves for a few days till the bruises faded.”

 

“Could you tell me when this all started?”

 

“When the beatings started period in the family?  Or when he started on me?  Cause as far as I remember words and fists flew with him.  It was the reason him and my mother got divorced.  She couldn’t take it anymore.  Not that I blame her.  Shizuka didn’t need to see them fighting constantly.  I would usually take off with her to the beach when the fights started.  It was our own little getaway...”

 

“Did your father ever hurt your mother physically?”

 

“Yeah, not like me though.  They usually fought with words mostly.  there was the few occasions when she had to cover up a bruise with make-up.  I’m glad Shizuka got out.  Who knows what would have happened to her if she stayed.  I hate to think of the possibilities.”  Jounouchi sighs sadly.

 

“Could you tell me the first time he ever laid hands on you?”

 

Jounouchi sighs and draws his knees up on the couch.  He leans over wrapping his arms around his legs resting his head on top his knees.  He stares out into space trying to recall a memory.  His body language was screaming defeat.

 

“It was the day my mother took of with my sister.  I was 7 at the time.”

 

“Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

 

Water swells up in the corner of Jounouchi’s honey coloured eyes. He pulls himself closer together as he begins to tell them what happened the first time his dad ever hurt him.  At the time he didn’t know what was going on.  He was scared and felt abandoned.  His mother just up and took off with his sister.  He tried asking his dad what was going on but all it earned him was the first beating of his life.

 

He could recall the fist flying on after the other.  The kicks were coming harder and harder.  The words telling him he was the cause to everything.  He believed every word.  What was a seven year old to believe when your own father told you, you were the reason your mother and sister took off.  He could still feel the echoes of the pain at night.  The memory would never escape him.  He still had nightmare about.

 

compared to what happened two weeks ago it was the only other time his father beat him so bad, though the beating have started to escalate the past few weeks.  Something must have happened in his father’s lie that he didn’t know about.  The first beating might have been so harsh cause unlike all the other times his father was actually sober. 

 

When he was asked to recall the most recent beating he could feel his body locking down.  He didn’t want to remember.  He couldn’t believe his father would ever go to those lengths, but he had.

 

“I would now like you to tell me in your own words what happen two weeks ago.  Tell me everything that you remember that happened, from beginning to middle to end, even the little parts you don’t think are important.”

 

Jounouchi tells Officer Saito that the first thing he remember about what happened was that he remembered waking up to his alarm clock going off telling him he had to get ready for school.  The next thing he knew his father was banging on his bedroom door.  He could remember his father yelling from the other side telling him to open the door.  He sounded pissed off more than usual.  Something must have happened the night before that set his father off.

 

He cold tells by the sound of his father’s voice that he needed to get out of there and fast.  He wasn’t lucky enough to escape.  If only he reacted a little faster he could have snuck out of his room or found a good hiding place.  He remembered the panic starting to set in as the door knob started to wiggle under his father’s hand.  He guessed that since he wasn’t able to open it through normal means he decided to try other.

 

In the next moment he saw the door flying off the hinges with wood splitting.  His father’s foot was raised as he kicked it open with such a forced that it left a boot print in the door.  All he could do was just sit there in his bed and wait for what was to come. 

 

He told that when he was asked to stand he tried to escape out the open window.  He blamed himself for tripping over his blanket that he wasn’t able to make it out the window.  He absently rubs his neck as he recalls his father grabbing him in a vice grip, strangling the air out of his lungs and crushing his wind pipe.

 

He remembers being thrown against the wall repeatedly.  He could recall the sound of ribs cracking under the intense punch his father delivered to his abdomen.  Kick after kick rained down upon his body as he laid on the ground gasping for breath.  His father than picked him up throwing him across the room.  His back was now exposed to the torment.  Somewhere during all the punches and kicks he knew he took a couple to the head causing his vision to spin and blur.

 

The words his father said linger deep in his mind.  He told them that his father blamed him for losing his job the day before and all the other times that he lost one.  He told them that it was his entire fault that his mother took off with Shizuka.  For some reason his father never called her by her name they gave her.  His father mentioned something about his gambling friends.  Jounouchi told them that he was probably talking about going out and playing pachinko with them.  He left out what he really remembered his father saying.

 

the next thing he could recall after blacking out from that beating was his father coming home later that night in a extremely pissed off mood.  He chooses to deliberately hide some information from the police. He didn’t want to relive that one moment in his life; it made him feel dirty, used, ashamed, embarrassed, and humiliated.  His father than continued to assault his body.  In the haze of the beating he remembered seeing someone that looked like Kaiba approach from the shadows.  He saw him grab something and aim it at his father causing him to fall to the ground unmoving.  After that all he remembers is calling out to Kaiba and he promising everything would be alright before he blacked out once more in his arms.

 

Officer Saito looks sadly to the teen who hand curled up into a ball on the couch as he recalled that evening.  He could tell that he was suffering and had lived a sad life.  Who knew what would have happened to the teen if he never meet the friends that he has now.  He could have wound up on the other side of the tracks or worse buried six feet under in a lonely grave.

 

He gives the teen a moment to collect his thoughts.  He needed to know what else had happened.  He knew he had to be hiding something from what the medical reports stated.  There was strong evidence that the teen was raped against his will.  He needed to hear it from his mouth though before anything could be done.  He sensed he remembered from what hi body language was telling him when ever someone got near to touching him.

 

“Think back to that night.  Tell me everything that happened.” 

 

“I told you everything I could remember.” Jounouchi says with a shaky voice.  Did they know he was hiding something?

 

“I know it’s hard but we need to know everything that happened.  The more we have to go on the easier things will be.  I saw proof that your body was abused in another way.  Tell me in your own words about what happened.  What do you remember about your father’s friends?”

 

“I don’t get what you are talking about.  I only remember him mentioning them...”  Jounouchi gulps as he lies to the officer.

 

“Has anyone touched you in an inappro-?”

 

“THAT NEVER HAPPENED!”  The blonde interrupts n a panic.  No, no way was he going there.  It was not going to happen.  As far as he was concerned that never happened.

 

Jounouchi stands up from the couch in a flash shoving the table over.  He starts to breath heavy.  He did not want to recall that.  As far as he was concerned that never happened.  He starts to pace back and forth in the room.

 

“Jounouchi?   You need to calm down.  If you don’t want to talk about it it’s alright.  You don’t have to.”

 

He turns and creams at the officer his face red and body shaking.  “IT NEVER FUCKING HAPPENED!”

 

Jounouchi paces the room in a panic.  His breathing was increasing in a rapid pace.  His heart felt like it was going to rip out of his chest.  Uncontrollable shakes coast through his body.  He takes refuge in the far corner of the room away from the door.  He curls in on himself fingers clutching in his hair.  He pulls his knees up to his chest leaning his head down upon them.  He starts to rock back and forth chanting; ‘never happened.’ over and over.

 

His hands fall from his head and wrap around his legs drawing himself closer together.  His fingers scratch at the skin on top his hand.  Everyone in the room tries to call out to him, but he doesn’t hear.  That night starts to replay over in his mind.  The humiliation of it sends him into a panic attack.  He starts to gasp for breath as the attack increases.  He didn’t want to remember that of all things.  He felt so ashamed.  He didn’t want to accept the fact that he responded the way he did.  He never responded that way with anyone when he was experimenting with his sexuality, before he found out more about himself.

 

Kaiba having seen what was going on through the monitar in his room darted out of there and to the blonde.  He could tell that the three were getting no where in bringing him out of it.  having beem through a few himself he knew what needed to be done.

 

He calmy walked over to the blonde huddled in the corner.  Kneeling down he places a hand upon the one that was scratching at the skin.  He squeezes his hands gently.

 

“Jounouchi, focus on your breathing, in and out.  I’m going to sit next to you.”

 

Kaiba sits next to him and pulls him close. “Match your breathing with mine.  You can get through this.”

 

Jounouchi starts to calm down and relax into kaiba’s arms.  Once calmed down he buries his head into kaiba’s chest as the tears being to fall in rivers.  He speaks, his voice muffled by kaiba’s chest.

 

“it’s… not alright…it shouldn’t… have ever hap…happened.”

 

“What happened?” asks kaiba. 

 

“Why did my body not listen to me?  I didn’t want it!”

 

Kaiba pulls Jounouchi away from him.  he makes the blonde to directly into his eyes.

 

“Jounouchi, what happened?  We need to know so we can help you.”

 

Jounouchi looks away and to the ground.  “He sol…  he let them have their way.  I heard them, talk about it before, but I thought they were joking!  Why would my own father sell his own son!?  I don’t understand!  Why did I act like I enjoyed it?  I sure as hell didn’t!”

 

Kaiba helps Jounouchi up and leads his over to the couch.  The officer offers to let him have a break but he refuses.  He needed to get this off his chest.  Looking down at the ground the whole time he tells them everything that happened.  His father beating him, selling him to his friends, those said friends coming back and raping him.  Everyone kept telling him it wasn’t his fault.  The body has its own mind and can respond to simulation even if it was never wanted.

 

Once the interview was over all Jounouchi wanted to was go back to Yuugi’s or some place he could be alone.  Kaiba refused to let him.  he knew the blonde needed someone more than ever now.

 

Now that the police had the witness statement they could go along and file the case.  They issued out a warrant for his father’s arrest along with his three gambling buddies.  It would only be a matter of time before everything could be taken to court.  Once everything was in place they told him that they would need him on the stand as a witness.

 

It was going to be a long bumpy road to recovery.


	9. R is for Ruling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jounouchi versus Jounouchi. what will happen when everything is taken to trial?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if anything is not correct judicial wise. I tried my best. sorry if seems rushed I wanted to get this out before Christmas. hoping I can get the last chapter done too, but it's not looking good. So much to do for the holiday finding it hard to find time to write with working 6 days a week then coming home to take care of the kids. Thank you all for your continues support! and Merry Christmas!

It was the morning of October 21st.  The sound of an alarm clock sounds, signaling that it was not 6 o'clock in the morning.  A thin pale hand reaches out and silences the inferno beeping.  A tall brunette sits up in his blue Egyptian cotton sheets.  He climbs out of bed and walks over to the doors leading out to the balcony.  Opening the doors he takes a deep breath taking in the fresh morning air.  Today was going to be a long harsh day.

 

He couldn't believe that it had been 21 days since he came to find out what had happened to his fellow classmate and duelist.  Today was the day the case against the blonde's father would be held before a judge in court.  He needed to get the blonde up.  Hopeful the blonde wasn't going to recant his story.  Ever since that day in the interview room he seemed to be more withdrawn.  Kaiba didn't blame him.  He was made to relieve what happened and what happened with his father's friends.  Kaiba had no idea what he would have done if he was in the other's shoes.

 

Ever since that day he has stayed with Kaiba, Mokuba, and Shizuka at the mansion.  As much as he loved his friend Yuugi, he wanted a place where he could be alone and think. He kept himself holed up in one of the guest rooms most of the day, refusing to leave.  It was a chore trying to get him to eat with everyone but with Shizuka's help they could coax him into laving for a few minutes. 

 

Turning away from the doors Kaiba heads off to the bathroom to get ready for the day.  After he was freshly showered and dressed he would go wake the blonde up and Shizuka.  They had to be at the courthouse by 9A.  For some reason they wanted he to testify on the stand.  Even the blonde's mother was called in to be a witness due to the accusations that she was abused by her former husband.  Needless to say she wasn't happy about being called, but if it could keep the man away from he precious daughter and place him behind bars she would do it.

 

Shizuka was already up and dressed by time Kaiba went to the room she was staying in.  Mokuba and she were in the room playing Duel Monsters.  Well Mokuba was trying to teach her how to improve the deck she owned.  Kaiba smiled seeing the two of them together.  He didn't want to admit it but they made a cute couple even if she was older.  Kaiba knocks lightly on the door to get their attention.

 

“Good Morning, you two.  You're up earlier than I thought.”

 

“I couldn't sleep so I bugged Mokuba to help me improve my deck.  Are you on your way to wake my brother up?”

 

Kaiba nods his head.

 

“Good luck.  He's been up all night pacing back and forth.  He seems on edge.  I couldn't calm him down.  When he blew up at me I gave up and gave him space.  I think he scared of confronting dad.”

 

“I don't blame him.  He's taken it for far too long this is a big step.” 

 

Kaiba leaves the two to their thing and heads off to the room where Jounouchi was staying.  When he reached the door he paused with his hand hovering inches from the door.  He could hear the other talking to himself on the other side.  He sounded like he was arguing with himself, second guessing himself.  He knocks lightly.

 

“Jounouchi, can I come in?”

 

Hearing a muffled reply sounding like a confirmation he walks in.  He stops and stares in the room seeing that the bed was all in shambles.  The blankets were thrown everywhere in the room.  The blonde was wearing a hole in the carpet pacing back and forth from the bed to the joined bathroom.  His hands where in his hair gripping tightly as he was chanting to himself.  He looks up hearing the door open and sighs dropping his hands to his sides.

 

“I don't think I can do this, Kaiba.  What if he gets off Scott-free?  I don't have the cleanest record they might not believe a word I say.  I don't want to think of what he might do if he's released.  Why did I even say something?”

 

Walking into the room fully Kaiba shuts the door behind him.  “There is more than enough evidence against him for a solid conviction.  I'll be there the whole way for you, the same with Shizuka.  Just let me in and I'll do what I can to help.  I want the old fiery Jounouchi back.  It's getting boring not having the mutt fight back.”

 

“Fuck off money bags.  If I wasn't so stressed out I'd beat your ass.”  Jounouchi looks pointedly at the brunette.  He grabs a nearby pillow and chucks it at him.  Kaiba dodges it easily and laughs lightly.

 

“There's the good little doggy I love.  Now if only he knew how to bathe and dress himself.”

 

“Kaiba” Jounouchi growls.

 

“Down boy.”

 

“Bite me.”

 

“You'd like that wouldn't you.”

 

‘Fuck you, Kaiba.”

 

“Not now and it's the other way around.  Now get showered and dressed.”

 

Jounouchi stares at Kaiba jaw open and cheeks stained a bright red.  Kaiba ignores him and walks over to the closest in the room and pulls out a pair of slacks and a leaf green button shirt.  He walks over to the blonde holding the clothes out to him.  Jounouchi grabs them from him and storms off to the bathroom to change, slamming the door behind him.  For some reason the thought of it didn't bother him as much as he thought it should considering what had happened. 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

 

At the local Domino City Juvenile and Family Courthouse in one of the many offices sits a group of three teenagers.  The blonde male of the group sits in a chair in front of a lawyer foot bouncing with his nerves.  A female with long auburn hair places a hand on the blonde's knee and smiles warmly.

 

“You're not alone Kat.  Kaiba and I will be there with you.  I'll sit right behind you.  Everyone else will be there too.  Everything will be alright.”

 

“I sure hope so.  So when do we get this over with Ms. Edogawa?”  The blonde looks to the woman sitting behind the desk in front of them.  Her deep amethyst eyes look to the group.  Somehow they find comfort in her gaze.   She gave off a warm motherly love for someone that looked so young, about mid-late twenties.   She pushes her black framed glasses up on her nose and brushes a strand of violet hair from her eyes.

 

“As soon as the jury is seated and Judge Yukimura arrives I can walk you into the court room.  There are a few things we need to go over before hand.  I know it will be nerve racking to sit in front of a group of strangers and recant what had happened.  Just be prepared for anything that might happen or be asked by the other party.  They will try to make it seem like you're at fault or that it was all your imagination.  If you feel nervous or insecure you can always focus on me or someone important to you.”  She looks to the two other teens in the room with a smile.

 

“You are not alone.  You are not the only one that has gone through something like this.  You are making a brave step in coming here today.  I am proud of you I want you to know that.  I am not just your lawyer I'm also someone you can call a friend.  I have come recommended.  Right, Mr. Kaiba Seto?”  He gaze drifts and lingers on the tall brunette.

 

“She's right Jounouchi.  She's one of the best lawyers out there, even if she is going out of her box to help you.”

 

“I am not as young as I look I've been around the block so to speak.  and you forget Mr. Kaiba I use to be part of the Domino SVU squad as a detective and as one of their victim lawyers before I become your personal ‘asset'.  I know these things inside and out.  I have seen this far too many times for my liking, but that doesn't matter here.”  Her gaze lingers for a brief moment on Kaiba.  “We are here to focus only on Jounouchi Katsuya's case not others.  He is our main focus today as we proceed in court to find justice.”

 

“If I may ask how did you too meet?  You seem awfully familiar with each other and Kaiba doesn't go after your throat like everyone else when you speak to him the way you do.”  Jounouchi asks curiously.

 

“I look up to her like a mother, Jounouchi.  She's good at what she does and she had helped me out a lot back when Gozaburo was alive.” Kaiba replies.

 

“Off the books I'm glad that bas-” Ms. Edogawa clears her throat.  “Man is dead.  He was a pour excuse for a human.  And before you ask I know what he has done to Mr. Kaiba to a degree.  But let's not dwell on that.”

 

“If you've known Kaiba that long how old are you?”

 

“KATSUYA!”  Shizuka shoves her brother in the arm giving him wide eyes.  She couldn't believe he asked that.  “You don't ask a woman her age!”

 

Ms. Edogawa laughs.  “It's quite alright.  I don't mind sharing I find pleasure in seeing the reaction when people find out how old I am.  I am 59 and I have two children and one grandson that is your age.  If you don't believe me here” she reaches into her purse and pulls out her driver's license handing it to the blonde.  All three of the teens stare at it.  It was impossible but the proof was right there.

 

“Now let's get back to your case, Mr. Jounouchi.  It should be about time we should be starting.  The bailiff should be here shortly to take Mr. Kaiba and Miss. Kawai to the courtroom.  Then we will follow after a brief meeting.”  There was just than a knock at the door and a tall male with wild red hair opens it. “Speak of the devil.  If you two would follow Deputy Erriku he'll take care of you.”

 

The deputy nods and leads the two teen off to the courtroom.  He instructs Shizuka to enter through the main doors.  Kaiba would have to sit on the witness stand considering he was the one that found the plaintiff.  Shizuka nods to them and heads off to the courtroom and to find Mokuba and everyone else.  She was scared and nervous for her brother.  She knew he was a strong individual but hopefully he didn't snap under the defense's pressure.

 

Back with Jounouchi and his lawyer they were going over a few last minute details.  She wanted to make sure that he had the same story no matter how many times he was asked.  Once everything was set to her liking they headed off to the court room together.  They entered through a door to the right of the witness stand on the judge's side of the bar.  They take their seat at their respected counsel table.

 

While Jounouchi walks in he avoids looking at his father and his lawyer.  He needed to stay focused and not chance a look at the man for fear he could unravel him.  He could hear the commotion from the gallery.  He tried to ignore the whispers.  Once the defense and prosecution was seated the bailiff walked into the courtroom.

 

“Please rise.  The Department of Juvenile and Family of Domino City Court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Yukimura Akira presiding.”

 

Everyone sitting in gallery, witness stand, jury box, and counsel stables stand. At the judge enters the room the judge walks out through a door behind the bench.  His dark black eyes scanning the room taking in everyone he sees.

 

“Everyone but the jury may be seated.  Mr. Erriku, please swear in the jury.”  The judge says as he sits at his place on the bench.

 

The bailiff looks to the jury and raises his right hand.  “Please raise your right hand.  Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will truly listen to this case and render a true verdict and a fair sentence as to the defendant?”

 

Everyone in the just answers ‘I do'.

 

“You may be seated.”

 

Judge Yukimura looks to the jury as he speaks to them.  “Members of the jury, your duty will be to determine whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty based only on facts and evidence provided in this case.  The prosecution has the burden of proving the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.  This burden remains on the prosecution through the trial.   The prosecution must prove that a crime was committed and that the defendant is the person who committed the crime.  However, if you are not satisfied of the defendant's guilt to that extent, then reasonable doubt exists and the defendant must be found not guilty.”  He then turns and looks to the bailiff.  “Mr. Erriku, what is today's case?”

 

“Your Honor, today's case is Jounouchi versus Jounouchi.”

 

“Is the prosecution ready?”

 

Ms. Edogawa stands than sits once more.  “Yes, Your Honor.”

 

“Is the defense ready?”

 

Jounouchi's father's attorney does the same as what Ms. Edogawa did.  “Yes, Your Honor.”

 

Ms. Edogawa stands up and walks to the jury.  She looks each of them in the eye.  She speaks to them with a clear voice void of any ill element.

 

“Good morning, my name is Edogawa Sabbie, and I am the prosecutor in this case.  It is my pleasure to represent Jounouchi Katsuya.  On October 1st, 2015, the defendant in this case,” She turns and points directly at Jounouchi's father.  “Not only abused his own son physically and emotionally to the point of hospitalization for numerous bodily injuries that brought upon a coma for two weeks, he sold him into prostitution for extra cash to this friends.  At the conclusion of this case we will seek a verdict of guilty. 

 

ladies and gentleman of the jury, this is a case about a defendant who could not control his anger or a defendant who is pretending that he was temporarily insane and is not responsible for his actions.

 

Ladies and gentleman of the jury, the prosecution will call five witnesses to the stand.  We will call Mr. Jounouchi Katsuya who will testify that he was at his residence when the defendant attacked him without provocation while he lay injured in a corner.  He will also testify that his father received money to allow his friends to rape his son in any way they felt fit their needs.  We will call the ER nurse who will testify that the victim sustained fractured ribs, fractured wrist, bruised spinal column, 2 cracked vertebrate, dislocated shoulder, several lacerations and bruises, and signs of rape as a result of this unprovoked attack.  We will call Mr. Kaiba who will testify that when he entered the victim's residence he saw the defendant attacking the victim who was laying there not fighting back.  We will call Mr. Jackson to testify that the defendant left his bar intoxicated that night rambling on about an ungrateful son.  Mr. Jackson will also testify that the defendant is a frequent customer at his bar and extremely rowdy.  We will call Ms. Kawai to testify that the defendant has a violent past associated with non-drinking and drinking.

 

Ladies and gentleman of the jury, the defense may argue that the defendant was temporarily insane at the time of the attack.  However, we will show that the defendant was merely intoxicated when the attack broke out and a history of violence and not of the witness will describe unusual behavior.

 

At the conclusion of the case we would ask you to find the defendant guilty, that the state has not met its burden of proof.  Thank you.”

 

The whole time Ms. Edogawa talked to the jury she would walk back and forth looking each of them dead in the eyes.  Every word that came out of her mouth she meant and was believable.  Once she was done she nodded to the jury and judge and took her place back next to Jounouchi.

 

It was now Jounouchi father's attorney to give his opening statement to the jury.  The defense attorney stands from his seat and walks over to the jury box.  Just like Ms. Edogawa he looks ach of them in the eye.

 

“Good morning, my name is Walker Allen, and it's my pleasure to represent Jounouchi Kenji on this very important case.  The defendant stands here falsely accused of child abuse and solicitation of prostitution, a very serious crime.  At the conclusion of the case we will ask for a verdict of not guilty.

 

Ladies and gentleman of the jury, this is a case about a person who suffers from a sever mental illness and didn't know what he was doing.

 

The prosecution hopes that their witnesses will say that he has purposeful intent to harm and knew of his actions.  However, in fact the testimony with show that my client is an honorable man of the military and he suffers from a sever mental illness and the defendant is a violent teenager.

 

Ladies and gentleman of the jury, the prosecution has explained that one witness saw my client beat the defendant.  However, what the prosecutor didn't say is that my client suffers from a server mental illness.  He was literally out of his mind that day in question, and we have an expert witness who will testify that my client is insane.  The prosecutor also failed to mention that the defendant has a record of violence.

 

Ladies and gentleman of the jury, the defense will call four witnesses to the stand.  First will be Mr. Tamaki who will testify that on numerous occasions my client was clearly provoked by the defendant, and only struck the alleged victim after he was threatened, and Mr. Tamaki will testify that he was merely paying back a debt owed to my client during the exchange of money.  Secondly we will call Dr. Megumi to the stand to testify that my client suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Third will be Officer Mako who will testify that the defendant has a record of violence and vandalism.  Last will be Mr. Hirutani who will testify that the defendant has a violent nature.  Mr. Hirutani will also testify that the defendant was once a member of a gang.

 

At the conclusion of the case we would ask you to find my client is innocent.  The state has not met its burden of proof, and we would ask for a verdict of not guilty.  Thank you.”

 

Mr. Walker takes his seat back next to Jounouchi Kenji.  Kaiba glares his eyes at the man when he sees a smug look on his face.  What person would use a mental illness like PTSD to excuse them from abusing their own children?  He had a sickening feeling in his gut that they were going to try and use Jounouchi's past gang life against him.  Sure the blonde was hot headed at times, but he never threw a fist unless he was provoked.  In all the time they've known each other he couldn't remember the blonde ever raising a fist to him.  It was always just words and empty threats.

 

In the seat next to Kaiba Ms. Kawai was staring at the man she use to love with pure hatred.  She was amazed that he was trying to use a mental illness, which he didn't have, as an excuse for his actions.  In her eyes there was no way he could have PTSD.  He only ever went through training in the military.  He was never shipped out to combat.  She tore her eyes from the man and looked at her son, really looked.  She could see he had grown.  He looked older than 18.  If what he had been saying was true she could see why.

 

The judge calls out to the courtroom asking the prosecution to call their first witness.  Ms. Edogawa looks to Jounouchi for a second then to the judge.  She tells them that she will be calling Jounouchi Katsuya to the stand.  Jounouchi stands taking a deep breathe.  ‘Here we go.'  He thought.  The judge than asks the bailiff to swear him in to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  He agrees and goes and sits down in the witness stand chair.  His eyes scan the courtroom and he can see that all his friends have come and are sitting the back of the gallery.  He spots his sister sitting right behind his attorney, with Mokuba no less.

 

Ms. Edogawa walks up to the blonde on the witness stand.

 

“Please state your name for the court?”

 

“Jounouchi Katsuya.”

 

“Jounouchi, where do you live.”

 

“Midgar Apartments, in 2B.”

 

“Where you there on October 1st?”

 

“Yes, I was.”

 

“Was you attacker there?”

 

“Yes.  I was my father.”  Jounouchi looks to his father and points to him for the jury like Ms. Edogawa instructed he should do.

 

“Did you see the defendant at the residence?”

 

“Yes.  I awoke to my alarm clock going off for school.  He was on the other side of my bedroom door shouting.”

 

“Did he only shout at you from the other side?”

 

“No.  When I didn't answer him he kicked the door in.  I could tell that he was in a foul mood and had way too much to drink.  I tried to fid a way to escape what I knew was to come, but could.”

 

“Could you explain to the court what you mean what was to come.”

 

“His rage, when he’s in a bad mood or drunk he takes it out on me.”

 

“Did the defendant strike you the morning of October 1st?”

 

Jounouchi looks down at his hands nervously.  Absent mindedly he picks at the cast on his wrist.  “Yes.  I can remember the punches and kicks one after another till I lost consciousness.”

 

“Did anything else happen that day?  When you regained consciousness?”

 

“Yes, I awoke to my father talking with his friends.”

 

“And what did they talk about?”

 

Jounouchi swallows a lump in his throat and takes a deep breath.  “Exchanging money to do what they pleased with me and to be done before he got back.  He didn't want to see them doing ‘it’.”

 

“And what would ‘it’ be?”

 

Whispering barely audible Jounouchi looks down ashamed. “They r-raped me.”

 

“Could you please say it a bit louder for the jury to hear you?”

 

“They raped me.”

 

“Did your father come back while his friends where there?”

 

“No.  He back later that night more pissed than I've ever seen him.  I knew I was in for it again.”

 

“Did he assault you when he arrived home that night?”

 

“Yes.  He only stopped when Kaiba showed up and knocked him out.  Next thing I know I'm in the hospital.”

 

“Was your father intoxicated at the time he assaulted you?”

 

“Yes, I smelled it on his breath.”

 

Ms. Edogawa looks to the judge.  “No further questions your honor.”

 

The judge turns to the defense and asks if they would like to cross examine the witness.  Mr. Walker takes the opportunity to say yes and walks up to the witness stand.

 

“Did you ever see money exchange hands with your father and his friends?”

 

“No, I did not.”

 

“Your record shows that you were once in a gang, is that correct?”

 

“Yes, but I haven’t been affiliated with them in 4 years, since I started high school.”

 

“Your record also shows that you have been arrested for assault, theft, and vandalism is that correct.”

 

Jounouchi looks down.  “Yes, I convicted by association.  Wrong place, wrong time.  I'm not proud of it.”

 

“It also shows that you are constantly reprimanded at school for starting fight, correct?”

 

“Hey!  I don't start them... well sometimes yeah, but their nothing violent.  I've never raised my hand to a classmate.”

 

“Is it possible that you provoked my client into an altercation?”

 

“I've done everything I could to stay on his good side.”

 

“Yes or no, Mr. Jounouchi.”

 

“Logically no.  In his mind, yes.  I was the reason for everything wrong to him.”

 

“Could he have been out of his mind when he assaulted you?”

 

“He always is, especially when he’s been drinking.”

 

“No further questions, you Honor.”

 

“The witness may step down.”  Judge Yukimura says.

 

Jounouchi steps down from the witness stand and heads back over to Ms. Edogawa.  His heart felt like it would pound right out of his chest.  He prayed that he didn't have to go back up there.  It was nerve wracking being up there in front of everyone and telling those things you had kept secret for so long.

 

The judge asks Ms. Edogawa to call her next witness to the stand.  She calls Mr. Jackson to the stand.  She asks him if he had seen the defendant on the day of the attack.  Mr. Jackson tells her that he was at his bar down the street from the apartments from noon till late that night.  While he was there he remembered over hearing Jounouchi senior talking to another male gentleman in the back.  He heard something about getting 50,000 yen to let someone do as they pleased with a young blonde.

 

Having enough of the man's drunken antics he kicked him out of the bar when he started a fight with another patron.  He told him to go home and take care of his son instead of drowning his sorrows in alcohol. 

 

The defense was then called to question the witness.  Mr. Walked asked if he knew that Jounouchi senior was once in the military.  He say he over heard him a few times talking about it with Mr. Tamaki.  From what he understood the two of them where long time friends and were in the military together.  Having no further questions for Mr. Jackson he was excused to step down from the witness stand.  

 

Next to stake the stand was Kaiba. Ms. Edogawa called him to the stand.  Once he was sworn in he took his place on the witness stand.  He kept a straight and neutral face while he stared down the blonde’s father.

 

“Mr. Kaiba, you are the CEO of KaibaCorp correct?”  Ms. Edogawa asks.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Can you tell the court how you know my client?”

 

“We are classmates.”

 

“Your statement says that you witnessed the defendant attacking my client.”

 

“Yes, I happened to hear screaming coming from the apartment and went to investigate.  When I got there the door was open.  I could see from the doorway Jounouchi senior holding a shattered whiskey bottle over Jounouchi's head.  Jounouchi was cowering the corner.  From what I saw he was trying to defend against the blow to come.”

 

“Did the defendant appear to be mental unstable?”

 

“No, he was simply intoxicated.  He knew what he was doing and saying.”

 

“Thank you. No further questions, your Honor.”

 

“Does the defense wish to ask any questions” Judge Yukimura asks.

 

“Yes, your Honor.”

 

“As you stated before you are classmates with the victim.  Records show that you two haven’t been on good terms correct?”

 

“Yes,  I looked to him as a rival.”

 

“did you two get into more than one altercation together?”

 

“yes, we clashed.  I resented him in a lot of ways.  once I found out had been happening behinde closed doors I saw Jounouchi in a new light.”

 

“could you say that the defendant has a hot temper and easily aroused?”

 

“yes, if you push him in the right way.”   it was starting to sound like they were trying to pin this all on Jounouchi some way.  the defense was trying to make it seem like he was the one that started a fight with his father.

 

“as you said you stated that my client was intoxicated.  how do you know this?”

 

“I witnessed him being thrown out of Mr. Jackson’s bar that night.  his speech was slured and his movements sluggish.  I also over heard Mr. Jackson saying that he had too much to drink and needed to get home to his son.”

 

“in you statement is says that you follwed my client to him home correct.”

 

“yes,  I had a feeling that something was off.  he remined me a lot of Jououhi physically.  I hadnt seen him in class that day and my gut was telling me something was off with the way the man acted.”

 

“When you saw my client in the apartment you attacked him correct?”

 

“Yes, I was trying to defend Jounouchi from more harm.”

 

“No further questions, you Honor.”

 

“You may be seated.”  The judge says to Kaiba.  “The prosecution my call their next witness.”

 

The next witness to be called to the stand was the nurse that attended to Jounouchi when he was treated in the emergency room.  She told them all of the aliments that he suffered from the attack.  From what she saw these attacks had been going on for a long time.  The blonde appeared to have some old scaring from old altercations, some which had healed on their own when they should have received medical attention.  She also told that all the wounds she saw on the teen where from trying to defend against more.  She didn't observe any wounds that could have been caused from raising a fist to the defendant.

 

After the ER nurse was done being question the last prosecution witness was called to the stand.  The moment that Ms. Kawai took a seat on the witness stand the air in the room seemed to get colder.  Sparks of hatred could be felt going from her to her ex husband.  Jounouchi Kenji was tightening his hands in to fists.  His knuckles were turning white.  This was the first time he has seen the woman in 8 years.

 

“Record shows that you were once married to the defendant, correct?”  The prosecution asks.

 

“Yes, we were married for 10 years.”

 

“Has the defendant ever been violent towards you?”

 

“Yes, there were the few occasions I would have to hide a bruise with make-up to keep from people asking questions.”

 

“To your knowledge have any of your children witnessed an altercation between you and the defendant?”

 

“Yes, he wasn’t secretive about it.  We constantly fought in front of the children.  Most of the fights where about his excessive drinking and gambling.”

 

“Has he ever seemed mentally unstable?”

 

“No he is a very smart man.  He knew where he could hit me without it showing in noticeable places.  There was only the rare occasion when he didn’t.  That was when he had been drinking constantly all day or someone from work had angered him.”

 

Having no further questions the defense was now able to question her.  They asked her if he was always a violent man.  She told them that when they first meet he was a real gentleman.  She noticed his mood changing when he started to go out drinking and gambling almost every night with his buddies from the military.

 

Things started to get heated when the defense started to ask questions about her children.  She told them that Jounouchi was a troubled child and suffered from ADHD.  Being a nurse and seeing the effects the medicine could have he refused to place him on it.  Also with Jounouchi senior blowing all their money on drinking and gambling there was none left for it.

 

When they asked about why she only took one child with her when she left things really got out of hand.  There was no way that she could afford to take care of two children on her low income.  With her daughter suffering from a medical condition with her eyes there was no way to care for both.  The defense asked her why she chose to take her daughter over her son.  Her answer to the question set Jounouchi senior into a rage.

 

“You really want to know why?  Well I'll tell you.”  Ms. Kawai places her hands on the bench in front of her and leans forward.  She glares daggers at the man she once was married to.  “I could leave her alone with a man that wasn’t even her father.”

 

Jounouchi Kenji stands up from his seat knocking his chair over on the ground as he rises from his counsel table.  He starts to charge at the woman on the witness stand.  His attorney had to go around and grab him around the waist to try and keep him from attacking her.  He kept trying to talk him into calming down.  It wasn't looking good with his outburst.  If he continues he might not be able to help him.

 

Jounouchi sat there staring up at his mother.  Did he hear her correctly?  Shizuka didn't share the same father as him?  He never would have pegged his mother as someone to cheat as much as he hated her.  With the way his father was he wouldn't blame her.  In his eyes Shizuka was lucky that she didn't have to call that monster a father like he did.  Who knows what could have happened to her if she was left behind with him.  Things might have been far worse for her being a girl.  He feels his anger rising and clutches his hands into fists as he thinks of the possibilities.

 

“You fucking bitch!  I knew you were nothing but a whore.  I bet that little slut is one too just like you.  I know your son is one it's only fitting.”  Jounouchi Kenji screams trying to get out of Mr. Walker’s grasp.

 

After hearing his father’s outburst about his sister Jounouchi clutches the table goes to stand.  Ms. Edogawa paces a hand on his arm stopping him from doing so.  She gives him a look saying ‘let it go’.  It was only hurting his side of the case for having an outburst.  They didn't need one on their side as well.  Jounouchi breathes air deep into his lungs and tries to calm down.  He knew she was right.

 

The judge picks up their small gavel and hits it on a little block of wood.  “Order in the court!  Mr. Walker control your client or I shall have him removed from court for contempt.”

 

Mr. Walker finally gets his client under control for the most part.  The anger he was feeling could be felt radiating off of the man.  He sat in his chair finger nails digging into the table with such a force.  He eyes seething with anger, hatred, and malice stay glued on Ms. Kawai.  If looks could kill she would be dead.

 

“I have no further questions, your Honor.”  Mr. Walker voices.

 

Ms. Kawai is excused from the stand.  She goes back over to the witness box and sits back down next to Kaiba.  She chances a look out to the gallery and sighs when she catches the look in her daughter’s eyes.  She knew she should have told her sooner about her parentage.  This was not that way that she wanted her to find out that the man she thought was her father wasn’t.  There were no changing things now.  There would be a lot of explaining to do later.

 

“Your Honor, the people rest their case.”  Ms. Edogawa tells the judge.

 

“Is the defense ready with its case?”  Judge Yukimura asks the defense attorney.

 

“Yes, your Honor.  I call Mr. Tamaki to the stand.”

 

Mr. Tamaki is sworn in and takes his place on the witness stand.  With the questions asked by the defense he tells the court that is a long time friend of Jounouchi senior.  He has known him from their days when they started off in the military training camps.  They would hang out a lot together.  He told them that he started to notice a change in his behavior during the middle of training when one of their training missions had gone wrong.  After that incident there would be times when Jounouchi senior seemed like he wasn't him self.  The sound of bombs going off or guns firing would set him off into a panicked rage.  This soon became a problem and he was discharged from the service.  When he was asked about the money that exchanged hands between Jounouchi senior and him he told them that he was just paying him back the money that he had borrowed from him previously.

 

When the defense was done asking their questions of the man Ms. Edogawa took to asking a few of her own.  She asked him if he knew that Jounouchi senior didn't have a current job and he told he knew that he has been without a job for a few months.  When asked where he would have gotten the money that Mr. Tamaki proclaimed that he borrowed he couldn't answer.  What really threw him off was when he was asked to explain why his semen along with others inside he client on the same day that he proclaimed to give money to the defendant.  He just glared at her and said that the bitch asked for it.

 

When Dr. Megumi was asked to take the stand he told them that he believed that Jounouchi Kenji was suffering from PTSD.  He did acknowledge that he was never officially diagnosed with the condition.  From Ms. Edogawa's point of view it could have been that he was never suffering from it to being with.  It was just a ploy to try and cover up what he had been doing to his son all these years.

 

The next two witnesses tried to throw Jounouchi under the bus.  Officer Mako held a strong grudge against the young man.  He had a strong hatred for young hooligans.  It was p[resented that in Jounouchi/s past record when he was in middle school he was in a gang.  He had been arrested for theft and vandalism.  The assault on his record was from when two rival gangs got into a disagreement.  Nothing really proved that the blonde would go out of his way and start any sort of fight. All the altercations that he had been in were always started by the other party.  The defense only succeeded in proving that the blonde would only act out in violence if he was provoked.

 

"Ladies and gentleman of the jury, I am now going to read to you the law that you must follow in deciding this case.

 

To prove the crime charged against the defendant, the prosecution must prove these things to you:

 

First, the defendant assaulted Jounouchi Katsuya unprovoked

 

Second, the defendant was not mentally insane at the time of the attack.

 

Third, the defendant intended to solicit Jounouchi Katsuya to prostitution against his will.

 

If each of you believes that the prosecution did not prove any one of these things beyond a reasonable doubt, then you must find the defendant not guilty.

 

Proof beyond a reasonable doubt does not mean beyond all possible doubt.  It means that you must consider all of the evidence and that you are very sure that the charge is true."  The judge says as he turns towards the jury box. He then turns towards the counsel tables. "Are you ready with final arguments?"

 

Both Ms. Edogawa and Mr. Walker say that they are ready to present their final bit to the court.  Ms. Edogawa goes first with the prosecution followed by Mr. Walker for the defense.  They both stand up and face the jury with their closing statements.  Only time will tell what the jury choices for the outcome.

 

Once all the closing statements were presented the judges excused the jury to deliberate their verdict for the case.  Everyone in the courtroom sat in silence while the jury was deciding on a guilty or not guilty verdict.  They only have to wait for 45 minutes when they walked back into the courtroom.  The judge asks for the foreman to stand up and read the verdict to the court.

 

Jounouchi sits in his seat nervous as can be.  Did he make the right choice to go through with this?  What if his father wasn't found guilty?  Would he come at him and make sure he never told another living soul what was really happening?  There were so many questions running through his head.

 

"Will the jury foreperson stand?  Has the just reached a unanimous verdict?"  Judge Yukimura asks.

 

"Yes."  The clerk walks up to the jury's foreperson and talks the piece of paper in their hands.  They then hand it off to the judge who reads it then hands it right back tot he clerk.  The clerk then reads the verdict out loud to the court.

 

"The jury finds the defendant guilty of child abuse in the first degree.  The jury finds the defendant guilty of solicitation of prostitution in the fourth degree."

 

The judge thanks and excuses the jury and call the court adjourned.  Jounouchi places his hands over his face and releases a breath that he didn't know that he was holding.  Did he really hear them right?  Have things really come to an end?  Was there going to be no more suffering on his part?  His attorney places a hand on his shoulder and smiles to him.  She knew that she was going to win this case.  She had seen men like Jounouchi senior far too many times in her years of law enforcement.

 

After hearing the verdict of guilty bestowed upon him Jounouchi's father went into a huge rage.  He started shouting obscenities and trying to lash out at anyone that approached him.  It took the bailiff, his attorney, and two other officers to get him into cuffs and out of the court room.  What he didn't know was that for the next 20 years he would be serving time in jail and the other inmates were not to forgiving against child abusers and anyone that would sell their child off to sex for money.

 

After the court case Jounouchi's friends held a small party for him at Kaiba's mansion.  Now if they could all get through the rest of the year without any more misfortunes things would be great.  What no one saw coming was Kaiba walking up to Jounouchi after the case and bringing him into a kiss.

 

"You made it."


End file.
